Inflation is near a four-decade high. So why aren't health care costs significantly higher?

As consumers choose a 2023 health insurance plan from employers in coming weeks, many will find rate hikes are modest when compared to everyday living expenses. It’s the first time in over three decades that overall inflation accelerated at a faster rate than medical costs.  

It might not last long. Just like gas, groceries and used cars, the cost of medical care is rising in the third year of the coronavirus pandemic. 

"There's a lag effect," said Cynthia Cox, vice president and director for the program on the Affordable Care Act for Kaiser...