According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 5,511.54% higher in 2025 versus 1938 (a $132,276.84 difference in value).
Between 1938 and 2025: Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 4.74% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $2,400 in the year 1938 would cost $134,676.84 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.66% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1938: Pricing changed by 0%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for medical care during the 1938-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation for medical care was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $2,400 beginning in 1938. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | $2,400.00 | - |
| 1939 | $2,413.98 | 0.58% |
| 1940 | $2,413.98 | 0.00% ** |
| 1941 | $2,427.96 | 0.58% |
| 1942 | $2,502.52 | 3.07% |
| 1943 | $2,623.69 | 4.84% |
| 1944 | $2,698.25 | 2.84% |
| 1945 | $2,772.82 | 2.76% |
| 1946 | $2,926.60 | 5.55% |
| 1947 | $3,154.59 | 7.79% |
| 1948 | $3,349.96 | 6.19% |
| 1949 | $3,457.51 | 3.21% |
| 1950 | $3,522.03 | 1.87% |
| 1951 | $3,690.52 | 4.78% |
| 1952 | $3,891.26 | 5.44% |
| 1953 | $4,029.28 | 3.55% |
| 1954 | $4,152.95 | 3.07% |
| 1955 | $4,249.74 | 2.33% |
| 1956 | $4,405.68 | 3.67% |
| 1957 | $4,586.71 | 4.11% |
| 1958 | $4,805.38 | 4.77% |
| 1959 | $5,007.92 | 4.21% |
| 1960 | $5,185.36 | 3.54% |
| 1961 | $5,341.30 | 3.01% |
| 1962 | $5,482.90 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $5,613.74 | 2.39% |
| 1964 | $5,728.45 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $5,868.26 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $6,128.16 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $6,560.12 | 7.05% |
| 1968 | $6,958.03 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $7,438.39 | 6.90% |
| 1970 | $7,911.58 | 6.36% |
| 1971 | $8,422.40 | 6.46% |
| 1972 | $8,694.85 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $9,031.81 | 3.88% |
| 1974 | $9,872.44 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $11,062.58 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $12,114.71 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $13,272.59 | 9.56% |
| 1978 | $14,392.83 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $15,724.57 | 9.25% |
| 1980 | $17,447.05 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $19,321.88 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $21,564.15 | 11.60% |
| 1983 | $23,438.98 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $24,897.98 | 6.22% |
| 1985 | $26,450.19 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $28,436.15 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $30,323.53 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $32,304.11 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $34,777.60 | 7.66% |
| 1990 | $37,933.98 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $41,246.30 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $44,287.98 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $46,929.95 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $49,168.63 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $51,371.47 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $53,178.19 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $54,660.49 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $56,418.82 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $58,388.65 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $60,758.18 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $63,556.09 | 4.60% |
| 2002 | $66,547.57 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $69,221.81 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $72,263.48 | 4.39% |
| 2005 | $75,314.12 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $78,334.28 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $81,798.90 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $84,830.64 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $87,521.53 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $90,509.29 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $93,263.89 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $96,681.30 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $99,060.46 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $101,427.32 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $104,097.57 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $108,040.71 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $110,754.60 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $112,941.44 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $116,135.14 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $120,903.04 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $122,394.50 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $127,352.28 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $127,941.97 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $131,380.43 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $134,676.84 | 2.51%* |
* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Medical care:
| Year | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| CPI | 10.200 | 10.200 | 10.300 | 10.300 | 10.360 | 10.360 | 10.420 | 10.740 | 11.260 | 11.580 | 11.900 | 12.560 | 13.538 | 14.377 | 14.838 | 15.115 | 15.838 | 16.700 | 17.292 | 17.823 | 18.238 | 18.908 | 19.685 | 20.623 | 21.492 | 22.254 | 22.923 | 23.531 | 24.092 | 24.585 | 25.185 | 26.300 | 28.154 | 29.862 | 31.923 | 33.954 | 36.146 | 37.315 | 38.762 | 42.369 | 47.477 | 51.992 | 56.962 | 61.769 | 67.485 | 74.877 | 82.923 | 92.546 | 100.592 | 106.854 | 113.515 | 122.038 | 130.138 | 138.638 | 149.254 | 162.800 | 177.015 | 190.069 | 201.408 | 211.015 | 220.469 | 228.223 | 234.585 | 242.131 | 250.585 | 260.754 | 272.762 | 285.600 | 297.077 | 310.131 | 323.223 | 336.185 | 351.054 | 364.065 | 375.613 | 388.436 | 400.258 | 414.924 | 425.134 | 435.292 | 446.752 | 463.675 | 475.322 | 484.707 | 498.413 | 518.876 | 525.276 | 546.554 | 549.084 | 563.841 | 577.988 |