According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 3,242.46% higher in 2025 versus 1953 (a $5,512,178.63 difference in value).
Between 1953 and 2025: Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 4.99% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $170,000 in the year 1953 would cost $5,682,178.63 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.51% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1953: Pricing changed by 3.55%, which is below the average yearly change for medical care during the 1953-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1953 (0.81%), inflation for medical care was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $170,000 beginning in 1953. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1953 | $170,000.00 | 3.55% |
| 1954 | $175,217.97 | 3.07% |
| 1955 | $179,301.60 | 2.33% |
| 1956 | $185,880.78 | 3.67% |
| 1957 | $193,518.68 | 4.11% |
| 1958 | $202,744.66 | 4.77% |
| 1959 | $211,290.04 | 4.21% |
| 1960 | $218,776.69 | 3.54% |
| 1961 | $225,355.87 | 3.01% |
| 1962 | $231,330.07 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $236,850.53 | 2.39% |
| 1964 | $241,690.39 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $247,588.97 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $258,554.27 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $276,779.36 | 7.05% |
| 1968 | $293,567.62 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $313,834.52 | 6.90% |
| 1970 | $333,798.93 | 6.36% |
| 1971 | $355,351.42 | 6.46% |
| 1972 | $366,846.09 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $381,063.17 | 3.88% |
| 1974 | $416,530.25 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $466,743.77 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $511,134.34 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $559,986.65 | 9.56% |
| 1978 | $607,250.89 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $663,438.61 | 9.25% |
| 1980 | $736,112.10 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $815,213.52 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $909,817.62 | 11.60% |
| 1983 | $988,919.04 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $1,050,475.98 | 6.22% |
| 1985 | $1,115,965.30 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $1,199,755.34 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $1,279,386.12 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $1,362,949.29 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $1,467,308.72 | 7.66% |
| 1990 | $1,600,480.43 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $1,740,231.32 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $1,868,563.17 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $1,980,031.14 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $2,074,483.99 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $2,167,424.38 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $2,243,652.14 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $2,306,192.17 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $2,380,378.11 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $2,463,487.54 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $2,563,460.85 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $2,681,508.01 | 4.60% |
| 2002 | $2,807,722.42 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $2,920,551.60 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $3,048,883.45 | 4.39% |
| 2005 | $3,177,593.42 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $3,305,017.79 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $3,451,194.35 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $3,579,107.25 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $3,692,638.97 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $3,818,696.09 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $3,934,916.19 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $4,079,100.85 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $4,179,480.25 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $4,279,340.88 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $4,392,002.18 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $4,558,367.75 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $4,672,870.46 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $4,765,135.54 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $4,899,881.72 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $5,101,045.11 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $5,163,971.57 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $5,373,146.44 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $5,398,026.33 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $5,543,098.80 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $5,682,178.63 | 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 |