According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 3,361.01% higher in 2025 versus 1952 (a $15,796,731.66 difference in value).
Between 1952 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 $470,000 in the year 1952 would cost $16,266,731.66 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.47% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1952: Pricing changed by 5.44%, which is above the average yearly change for medical care during the 1952-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1952 (2.25%), inflation for medical care was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $470,000 beginning in 1952. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1952 | $470,000.00 | 5.44% |
| 1953 | $486,669.74 | 3.55% |
| 1954 | $501,607.55 | 3.07% |
| 1955 | $513,298.02 | 2.33% |
| 1956 | $532,132.66 | 3.67% |
| 1957 | $553,998.16 | 4.11% |
| 1958 | $580,409.95 | 4.77% |
| 1959 | $604,873.33 | 4.21% |
| 1960 | $626,305.85 | 3.54% |
| 1961 | $645,140.49 | 3.01% |
| 1962 | $662,243.21 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $678,046.98 | 2.39% |
| 1964 | $691,902.35 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $708,788.58 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $740,179.64 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $792,353.75 | 7.05% |
| 1968 | $840,414.56 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $898,433.90 | 6.90% |
| 1970 | $955,587.29 | 6.36% |
| 1971 | $1,017,286.96 | 6.46% |
| 1972 | $1,050,193.46 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $1,090,893.60 | 3.88% |
| 1974 | $1,192,427.45 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $1,336,176.88 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $1,463,256.56 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $1,603,109.17 | 9.56% |
| 1978 | $1,738,415.48 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $1,899,267.62 | 9.25% |
| 1980 | $2,107,314.60 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $2,333,763.24 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $2,604,592.35 | 11.60% |
| 1983 | $2,831,040.99 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $3,007,263.93 | 6.22% |
| 1985 | $3,194,744.36 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $3,434,615.38 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $3,662,579.46 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $3,901,801.01 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $4,200,557.35 | 7.66% |
| 1990 | $4,581,796.41 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $4,981,870.11 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $5,349,253.80 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $5,668,360.20 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $5,938,756.33 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $6,204,822.66 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $6,423,044.68 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $6,602,081.99 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $6,814,458.77 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $7,052,381.39 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $7,338,581.30 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $7,676,522.34 | 4.60% |
| 2002 | $8,037,844.31 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $8,360,847.54 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $8,728,231.23 | 4.39% |
| 2005 | $9,096,697.37 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $9,461,483.19 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $9,879,952.05 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $10,246,136.39 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $10,571,150.81 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $10,932,022.48 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $11,264,733.12 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $11,677,499.63 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $11,964,862.09 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $12,250,739.43 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $12,573,262.05 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $13,049,527.27 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $13,377,321.42 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $13,641,454.49 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $14,027,200.88 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $14,603,084.02 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $14,783,227.59 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $15,382,045.69 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $15,453,270.94 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $15,868,579.04 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $16,266,731.66 | 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 |