Half of brokers still mulling industry exit

That positive mindset shared by some brokers — the ones sticking with the business — is "encouraging," despite the number of those who say they might quit, said Tye Elliott, vice president of core broker sales at Aflac.

"Many are adapting to the changing health care environment by expanding their focus to be more consultative and to offer a wider range of products and services," Elliott said.

In the next year, Aflac found, 38 percent of brokers say they'll increase the number of voluntary benefits they'll sell, and 53 percent say they plan to increase their firm's revenue from voluntary insurance benefits.

Those focusing on voluntary products are seeing the benefits: Brokers who offer voluntary insurance are 12 percent more likely to be maintaining and/or growing sales, while brokers who don't offer voluntary are more than twice as likely to have declining sales. They're also much more likely to have their client base increase within the next year, Aflac said.

Also of note, employers have steadily increased their use of brokers over the past three years, with year-over-year use of brokers growing from 56 percent in 2011 to 61 percent in 2013 to 64 percent in 2014, Aflac said. That's likely due to the very reason brokers say they're leaving: PPACA.

Nearly eight in 10 brokers "at least somewhat agree" that their clients aren't prepared for health care reform, while 31 percent "strongly agree" they're not ready. Another 27 percent of brokers named "client uncertainty about health care reform" as the top issue for their firm right now.

Nearly half of companies said they'll be relying more on brokers or insurance providers to help make changes to benefits due to the changing health care environment.

Other strategies

In addition to increasing their product offerings, Aflac said, many brokers also are taking advantage of completely "new revenue opportunities" created by PPACA. They're creating consulting practices, acting as navigators and helping clients purchase plans through both private and public exchanges.

Nearly 80 percent of brokers said they've expanded their consulting services or created a consulting practice, while 35 percent said they're now functioning as a navigator for insurance products handled through an exchange, according to Aflac.

"People are using multiple sources of information to choose the plan that is right for them," said Katherine Hempstead, who leads coverage issues at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "Spreading the word about enrolling in insurance coverage is important and challenging, and research into consumer patterns and preferences can help improve the process for the next open enrollment period."