According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 4,757.04% higher in 2025 versus 1945 (a $891,945.58 difference in value).
Between 1945 and 2025: Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 4.97% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $18,750 in the year 1945 would cost $910,695.58 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.67% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1945: Pricing changed by 2.76%, which is below the average yearly change for medical care during the 1945-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1945 (2.27%), inflation for medical care was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $18,750 beginning in 1945. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1945 | $18,750.00 | 2.76% |
| 1946 | $19,789.92 | 5.55% |
| 1947 | $21,331.61 | 7.79% |
| 1948 | $22,652.71 | 6.19% |
| 1949 | $23,379.93 | 3.21% |
| 1950 | $23,816.26 | 1.87% |
| 1951 | $24,955.56 | 4.78% |
| 1952 | $26,313.03 | 5.44% |
| 1953 | $27,246.28 | 3.55% |
| 1954 | $28,082.58 | 3.07% |
| 1955 | $28,737.07 | 2.33% |
| 1956 | $29,791.53 | 3.67% |
| 1957 | $31,015.68 | 4.11% |
| 1958 | $32,494.34 | 4.77% |
| 1959 | $33,863.93 | 4.21% |
| 1960 | $35,063.83 | 3.54% |
| 1961 | $36,118.29 | 3.01% |
| 1962 | $37,075.79 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $37,960.57 | 2.39% |
| 1964 | $38,736.26 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $39,681.64 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $41,439.08 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $44,360.05 | 7.05% |
| 1968 | $47,050.74 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $50,298.97 | 6.90% |
| 1970 | $53,498.71 | 6.36% |
| 1971 | $56,952.97 | 6.46% |
| 1972 | $58,795.25 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $61,073.85 | 3.88% |
| 1974 | $66,758.24 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $74,806.08 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $81,920.65 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $89,750.32 | 9.56% |
| 1978 | $97,325.47 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $106,330.80 | 9.25% |
| 1980 | $117,978.35 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $130,656.11 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $145,818.52 | 11.60% |
| 1983 | $158,496.28 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $168,362.15 | 6.22% |
| 1985 | $178,858.27 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $192,287.49 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $205,050.10 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $218,442.95 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $235,168.88 | 7.66% |
| 1990 | $256,512.61 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $278,910.80 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $299,478.83 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $317,344.05 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $332,482.22 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $347,377.99 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $359,595.18 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $369,618.62 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $381,508.56 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $394,828.70 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $410,851.65 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $429,771.33 | 4.60% |
| 2002 | $450,000.00 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $468,083.39 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $488,651.42 | 4.39% |
| 2005 | $509,280.06 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $529,702.65 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $553,130.70 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $573,631.59 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $591,827.57 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $612,031.03 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $630,657.89 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $653,766.69 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $669,854.72 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $685,859.61 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $703,916.09 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $730,579.87 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $748,931.48 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $763,719.01 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $785,315.09 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $817,556.00 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $827,641.36 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $861,166.29 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $865,153.85 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $888,404.94 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $910,695.58 | 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 |