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There's good news regarding health insurance premiums this year...well, sorta.

According to US Insurance News, the rate of increase in health insurance premiums is lower this year, slowing to about 8.5% for HMOs and 9.4% for PPOs.

So prices are still going up, but not as fast as they have in the past - in 2002 health insurance premiums jumped 16%.

Of course, this year's premiums are still going up faster than the rate of inflation, but the hope is that recent trends in everything from consumer choices (such as shopping around aggressively) to newer legislation are slowing the rise of premiums.

The article suggests that the cost-growth in health insurance premiums that's occurred over the last 10 years is related to increasing demand, rising rates of chronic disease, and even a "recent surge in building new hospitals."

There's no mention of skyrocketing prescription drug costs and a poorly organized health care system that loses millions a year.

But at least consumers can see that their struggles to find more affordable health insurance plans, and their complaints to their state and federal representatives, are having a positive impact on the protection of their health and well-being.