According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 5,479.04% higher in 2025 versus 1940 (a $2,656,291.42 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2025: Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 4.85% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $48,481 in the year 1940 would cost $2,704,772.42 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.75% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1940: Pricing changed by 0%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for medical care during the 1940-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1940 (0.72%), inflation for medical care was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $48,481 beginning in 1940. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | $48,481.00 | - |
| 1941 | $48,761.78 | 0.58% |
| 1942 | $50,259.26 | 3.07% |
| 1943 | $52,692.67 | 4.84% |
| 1944 | $54,190.15 | 2.84% |
| 1945 | $55,687.64 | 2.76% |
| 1946 | $58,776.19 | 5.55% |
| 1947 | $63,355.03 | 7.79% |
| 1948 | $67,278.73 | 6.19% |
| 1949 | $69,438.56 | 3.21% |
| 1950 | $70,734.46 | 1.87% |
| 1951 | $74,118.19 | 4.78% |
| 1952 | $78,149.87 | 5.44% |
| 1953 | $80,921.66 | 3.55% |
| 1954 | $83,405.46 | 3.07% |
| 1955 | $85,349.31 | 2.33% |
| 1956 | $88,481.06 | 3.67% |
| 1957 | $92,116.78 | 4.11% |
| 1958 | $96,508.44 | 4.77% |
| 1959 | $100,576.12 | 4.21% |
| 1960 | $104,139.84 | 3.54% |
| 1961 | $107,271.59 | 3.01% |
| 1962 | $110,115.37 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $112,743.16 | 2.39% |
| 1964 | $115,046.98 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $117,854.76 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $123,074.35 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $131,749.67 | 7.05% |
| 1968 | $139,741.05 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $149,388.29 | 6.90% |
| 1970 | $158,891.55 | 6.36% |
| 1971 | $169,150.74 | 6.46% |
| 1972 | $174,622.31 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $181,389.78 | 3.88% |
| 1974 | $198,272.46 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $222,174.59 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $243,304.93 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $266,559.11 | 9.56% |
| 1978 | $289,057.34 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $315,803.25 | 9.25% |
| 1980 | $350,396.54 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $388,049.58 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $433,082.05 | 11.60% |
| 1983 | $470,735.10 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $500,036.81 | 6.22% |
| 1985 | $531,210.36 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $571,095.24 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $609,000.27 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $648,777.15 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $698,453.25 | 7.66% |
| 1990 | $761,844.29 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $828,367.07 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $889,454.28 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $942,514.12 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $987,474.60 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $1,031,715.13 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $1,068,000.29 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $1,097,769.96 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $1,133,083.19 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $1,172,644.09 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $1,220,232.36 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $1,276,423.95 | 4.60% |
| 2002 | $1,336,503.24 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $1,390,211.03 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $1,451,298.25 | 4.39% |
| 2005 | $1,512,565.44 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $1,573,220.69 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $1,642,802.16 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $1,703,689.94 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $1,757,732.15 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $1,817,736.56 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $1,873,058.47 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $1,941,691.77 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $1,989,473.34 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $2,037,007.98 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $2,090,635.85 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $2,169,827.49 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $2,224,331.89 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $2,268,250.97 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $2,332,391.46 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $2,428,147.20 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $2,458,100.81 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $2,557,670.09 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $2,569,513.16 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $2,638,569.07 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $2,704,772.42 | 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 |