By: John D. Stoll –

Earlier this year, I needed a new pair of glasses, and instead of trekking down to my optometrist, I decided to give Warby Parker’s trendy offerings a try. The glasses maker has an app that allows customers to take an online vision test.

But I quickly ran into a snag: I live in Michigan, one of 11 states where so-called telemedicine products like app-based vision tests are illegal. I would need to see an optometrist after all if I wanted new glasses.

My experience spotlights one of the biggest questions facing the new economy: Can the same disruptive forces reshaping retail and entertainment really take on the entrenched $7 trillion health-care sector?