Double-digit premium increases, an easing of runaway cost growth and less competition have led to record profits and climbing stock prices for the nation's insurance companies. While the immediate outlook is rosy, there are hints that a backlash may be developing among providers and consumers disgruntled over the high premiums, and among policy-makers alarmed at the climb in the number of uninsured Americans, which is estimated at 41 million now and is expected by all forecasters to continue to surge.
