According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 4,757.04% higher in 2025 versus 1945 (a $2,609,598.23 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 $54,857.57 in the year 1945 would cost $2,664,455.80 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 $54,857.57 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 | $54,857.57 | 2.76% |
| 1946 | $57,900.09 | 5.55% |
| 1947 | $62,410.68 | 7.79% |
| 1948 | $66,275.89 | 6.19% |
| 1949 | $68,403.52 | 3.21% |
| 1950 | $69,680.11 | 1.87% |
| 1951 | $73,013.40 | 4.78% |
| 1952 | $76,984.99 | 5.44% |
| 1953 | $79,715.46 | 3.55% |
| 1954 | $82,162.24 | 3.07% |
| 1955 | $84,077.12 | 2.33% |
| 1956 | $87,162.19 | 3.67% |
| 1957 | $90,743.71 | 4.11% |
| 1958 | $95,069.91 | 4.77% |
| 1959 | $99,076.96 | 4.21% |
| 1960 | $102,587.56 | 3.54% |
| 1961 | $105,672.63 | 3.01% |
| 1962 | $108,474.02 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $111,062.64 | 2.39% |
| 1964 | $113,332.12 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $116,098.05 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $121,239.84 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $129,785.85 | 7.05% |
| 1968 | $137,658.10 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $147,161.55 | 6.90% |
| 1970 | $156,523.15 | 6.36% |
| 1971 | $166,629.43 | 6.46% |
| 1972 | $172,019.44 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $178,686.03 | 3.88% |
| 1974 | $195,317.06 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $218,862.91 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $239,678.29 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $262,585.85 | 9.56% |
| 1978 | $284,748.73 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $311,095.97 | 9.25% |
| 1980 | $345,173.62 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $382,265.42 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $426,626.65 | 11.60% |
| 1983 | $463,718.45 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $492,583.39 | 6.22% |
| 1985 | $523,292.28 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $562,582.64 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $599,922.67 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $639,106.65 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $688,042.30 | 7.66% |
| 1990 | $750,488.44 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $816,019.65 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $876,196.31 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $928,465.26 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $972,755.57 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $1,016,336.66 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $1,052,080.96 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $1,081,406.89 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $1,116,193.75 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $1,155,164.96 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $1,202,043.90 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $1,257,397.92 | 4.60% |
| 2002 | $1,316,581.68 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $1,369,488.92 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $1,429,665.58 | 4.39% |
| 2005 | $1,490,019.54 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $1,549,770.68 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $1,618,314.98 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $1,678,295.19 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $1,731,531.86 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $1,790,641.86 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $1,845,139.15 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $1,912,749.42 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $1,959,818.78 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $2,006,644.88 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $2,059,473.39 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $2,137,484.61 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $2,191,176.59 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $2,234,441.02 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $2,297,625.46 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $2,391,953.88 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $2,421,461.01 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $2,519,546.13 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $2,531,212.68 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $2,599,239.25 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $2,664,455.80 | 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 |