Out-of-Pocket Health Spending Price History
1970–2025 · CMS
Per capita out-of-pocket healthcare spending in the United States, tracked from 1970 to 2025. This is the money that comes directly out of your wallet — copays, deductibles, coinsurance, and anything your insurance does not cover. Even though health insurance picks up a larger share of total costs than it did decades ago, out-of-pocket spending has still climbed relentlessly, from $148 per person in 1970 to roughly $1,460 in 2025. High-deductible plans have shifted more first-dollar costs onto patients, making this number feel bigger than ever.
Price in 1970
$148.00
Price in 2025
$1,460.00
Total Change
+886.5%
Years Tracked
55
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending Over Time
Compare to inflation: The chart above shows nominal (not inflation-adjusted) prices. Use the toggle to switch to inflation-adjusted values when available, or try the inflation calculator to convert any amount between years.
Key Insights
- Out-of-pocket spending nearly quadrupled between 1970 and 1990, jumping from $148 to $539 per person. That era saw a massive expansion of healthcare utilization as new treatments became available and Americans started visiting doctors and hospitals more frequently.
- Growth slowed dramatically in the 1990s as managed care organizations tightly controlled costs and steered patients toward in-network providers with fixed copays. Per capita out-of-pocket spending crept from $539 in 1990 to just $740 in 2000 — one of the only periods of genuine restraint.
- The 2010s brought a sneaky shift: while overall health spending grew, employers increasingly adopted high-deductible health plans that moved more upfront costs onto employees. Per capita out-of-pocket spending crossed $1,000 in 2012 and has not looked back.
- COVID-19 caused a rare dip in 2020, when out-of-pocket spending fell to $1,132 as people avoided hospitals and deferred elective procedures. But pent-up demand roared back in 2021, and by 2025 the figure has reached an estimated $1,460 per person.
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Price (USD per person) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | $148.00 | — |
| 1975 | $193.00 | +30.4% |
| 1980 | $286.00 | +48.2% |
| 1981 | $314.00 | +9.8% |
| 1982 | $340.00 | +8.3% |
| 1983 | $362.00 | +6.5% |
| 1984 | $385.00 | +6.4% |
| 1985 | $410.00 | +6.5% |
| 1986 | $430.00 | +4.9% |
| 1987 | $455.00 | +5.8% |
| 1988 | $480.00 | +5.5% |
| 1989 | $512.00 | +6.7% |
| 1990 | $539.00 | +5.3% |
| 1991 | $556.00 | +3.2% |
| 1992 | $571.00 | +2.7% |
| 1993 | $589.00 | +3.2% |
| 1994 | $608.00 | +3.2% |
| 1995 | $625.00 | +2.8% |
| 1996 | $638.00 | +2.1% |
| 1997 | $656.00 | +2.8% |
| 1998 | $679.00 | +3.5% |
| 1999 | $706.00 | +4.0% |
| 2000 | $740.00 | +4.8% |
| 2001 | $774.00 | +4.6% |
| 2002 | $811.00 | +4.8% |
| 2003 | $839.00 | +3.5% |
| 2004 | $868.00 | +3.5% |
| 2005 | $893.00 | +2.9% |
| 2006 | $918.00 | +2.8% |
| 2007 | $948.00 | +3.3% |
| 2008 | $975.00 | +2.8% |
| 2009 | $985.00 | +1.0% |
| 2010 | $982.00 | -0.3% |
| 2011 | $991.00 | +0.9% |
| 2012 | $1,008.00 | +1.7% |
| 2013 | $1,022.00 | +1.4% |
| 2014 | $1,045.00 | +2.3% |
| 2015 | $1,072.00 | +2.6% |
| 2016 | $1,102.00 | +2.8% |
| 2017 | $1,134.00 | +2.9% |
| 2018 | $1,168.00 | +3.0% |
| 2019 | $1,202.00 | +2.9% |
| 2020 | $1,132.00 | -5.8% |
| 2021 | $1,219.00 | +7.7% |
| 2022 | $1,290.00 | +5.8% |
| 2023 | $1,355.00 | +5.0% |
| 2024 | $1,410.00 | +4.1% |
| 2025 | $1,460.00 | +3.5% |
Sources & Methodology
Per capita out-of-pocket health expenditures from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services National Health Expenditure Accounts. Out-of-pocket spending includes direct consumer payments for copayments, deductibles, coinsurance, and services not covered by insurance. It excludes health insurance premiums. Per capita figures are calculated using Census Bureau resident population estimates.
Primary source: CMS
For a full explanation of how we collect and adjust data, see our methodology page.