According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 3,069.06% higher in 2025 versus 1955 (a $13,964,231,376.53 difference in value).
Between 1955 and 2025: Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 5.06% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $455,000,000 in the year 1955 would cost $14,419,231,376.53 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.61% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1955: Pricing changed by 2.33%, which is below the average yearly change for medical care during the 1955-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1955 (-0.29%), inflation for medical care was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $455,000,000 beginning in 1955. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 | $455,000,000.00 | 2.33% |
| 1956 | $471,695,487.14 | 3.67% |
| 1957 | $491,077,604.39 | 4.11% |
| 1958 | $514,489,666.81 | 4.77% |
| 1959 | $536,174,609.87 | 4.21% |
| 1960 | $555,172,922.82 | 3.54% |
| 1961 | $571,868,409.95 | 3.01% |
| 1962 | $587,028,679.88 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $601,037,536.90 | 2.39% |
| 1964 | $613,319,274.57 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $628,287,642.35 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $656,113,454.24 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $702,361,872.63 | 7.05% |
| 1968 | $744,964,150.15 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $796,393,926.61 | 6.90% |
| 1970 | $847,056,094.47 | 6.36% |
| 1971 | $901,748,207.51 | 6.46% |
| 1972 | $930,917,334.46 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $966,994,938.84 | 3.88% |
| 1974 | $1,056,997,047.66 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $1,184,420,075.92 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $1,297,066,638.55 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $1,421,035,428.09 | 9.56% |
| 1978 | $1,540,974,272.46 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $1,683,557,570.65 | 9.25% |
| 1980 | $1,867,975,537.75 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $2,068,705,187.68 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $2,308,774,778.57 | 11.60% |
| 1983 | $2,509,504,428.51 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $2,665,712,779.42 | 6.22% |
| 1985 | $2,831,900,042.18 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $3,044,527,625.47 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $3,246,600,590.47 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $3,458,652,467.31 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $3,723,477,435.68 | 7.66% |
| 1990 | $4,061,417,123.58 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $4,416,052,298.61 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $4,741,710,248.84 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $5,024,574,019.40 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $5,264,259,805.99 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $5,500,107,549.56 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $5,693,544,917.76 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $5,852,247,996.63 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $6,040,504,006.75 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $6,251,404,470.69 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $6,505,099,114.30 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $6,804,658,371.99 | 4.60% |
| 2002 | $7,124,943,062.00 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $7,411,261,071.28 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $7,736,919,021.51 | 4.39% |
| 2005 | $8,063,536,482.50 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $8,386,891,606.92 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $8,757,832,707.72 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $9,082,427,520.03 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $9,370,528,300.30 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $9,690,413,833.83 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $9,985,336,735.55 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $10,351,223,133.70 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $10,605,948,291.86 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $10,859,357,001.27 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $11,145,248,987.77 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $11,567,422,205.82 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $11,857,987,009.70 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $12,092,121,067.06 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $12,434,056,157.74 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $12,944,533,150.57 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $13,104,216,849.43 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $13,635,023,956.14 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $13,698,159,763.81 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $14,066,299,093.21 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $14,419,231,376.53 | 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 |