Medical care priced at $3.50 in 2012 $4.70 in 2024

Medical Care Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Medical Care, 2012-2024 ($3.50)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 34.30% higher in 2024 versus 2012 (a $1.20 difference in value).

Between 2012 and 2024: Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 2.49% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $3.50 in the year 2012 would cost $4.70 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.52% during this same period, inflation for medical care was lower.

In the year 2012: Pricing changed by 3.66%, which is above the average yearly change for medical care during the 2012-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 2012 (2.07%), inflation for medical care was higher.

Price Inflation for Medical care since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1975 (12.06%), 1982 (11.60%), and 1980 (10.95%).

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Buying power of $3.50 since 2012

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $3.50 beginning in 2012. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
2012$3.503.66%
2013$3.592.46%
2014$3.672.39%
2015$3.772.63%
2016$3.913.79%
2017$4.012.51%
2018$4.091.97%
2019$4.202.83%
2020$4.384.11%
2021$4.431.23%
2022$4.614.05%
2023$4.630.46%
2024$4.701.48%*

* 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:

Year193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI10.20010.20010.30010.30010.36010.36010.42010.74011.26011.58011.90012.56013.53814.37714.83815.11515.83816.70017.29217.82318.23818.90819.68520.62321.49222.25422.92323.53124.09224.58525.18526.30028.15429.86231.92333.95436.14637.31538.76242.36947.47751.99256.96261.76967.48574.87782.92392.546100.592106.854113.515122.038130.138138.638149.254162.800177.015190.069201.408211.015220.469228.223234.585242.131250.585260.754272.762285.600297.077310.131323.223336.185351.054364.065375.613388.436400.258414.924425.134435.292446.752463.675475.322484.707498.413518.876525.276546.554549.084557.226

Adjust medical care prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 2012 * 2012 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Medical care was 414.924 in the year 2012 and 557.226 in 2024:

557.226 / 414.924 * $3.50 = $4.70

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $3.50 in 2012 has the same "purchasing power" as $4.70 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Medical care).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Medical care in 1935. In addition to medical care, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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