Burtzy Loc: Bronx N.Y. & Simi Valley, CA

While you're right about the inflationary factor, the inflation rate for medical care has outstripped salaries by a huge amount. In the late 1960's, I was a college student working for Medicare as a claims supervisor. We used a government issued RVS (relative values scale) for determining rates that doctors and hospitals could charge for procedures. Those figures have inflated nearly twenty-fold since.

bobups Loc: Bath pa

I believe one of the reasons for high medical costs is medical insurance. Before that a doctor could only charge what a person could afford. One old doctor told me he operated on a farmer for chickens.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

As far as cost goes, remember that we were on the gold standard then and the price of gold was controlled. Once we went off the gold standard, inflation hit and prices soared. When Aunts and Uncles gave me five dollars for Christmas, that was a lot of money.

bobups Loc: Bath pa

Also the cost of malpractice insurance has soared

Dannj

I wonder if a single birth would have cost the same?

NDMarks Loc: Dublin, Ca

As bobups said, the cost of malpractice has soared. Today, we live in a lawsuit happy world. People forget that the term "Practicing Medicine" is so true, doctors do not know everything (nor does anyone else know everything). Doctors get too much credit but they also get too much blame (in many cases). When I was a firefighter/medic in Nevada responders were often called on to deliver babies because doctors were afraid of being sued because many women did not get proper prenatal care (and Nevada protects responders in case of a lawsuit, unless the responder does something stupid). But malpractice has certainly added to the cost of medical care.

ken_stern Loc: Yorba Linda, Ca

Final Thoughts:
I used the cost of breakfast back in 1967 & the one we had yesterday simply because the ingredients remained the same: a couple of eggs, hash browns, bacon, an English muffin & a couple of cups of coffee -- One cost less than $5.00 while our most recent went for $32.00 --
Granted - That house-visiting Doc. back in the 50s did have a few medical tricks in his/her bag but nothing like what the providers have at their command today -- That 50's Doc had nothing to give us to prevent all those childhood diseases we of that age suffered from & some even died of -- Polio shots came late in the 50s. Plus there is a zillion additional medical upgrades & discoveries that I'm just too ignorant to know anything about
Also granted there are medical providers & Drug Companies who charge a hell of a lot more than they should simply because they can get away with it!!!
But I also maintain that most doctors and hospitals charge more because they have to!
We live "on average" longer than our parents & grandparents because of advances in medical science not because we have through natural selection evolved better body chemistry

NDMarks Loc: Dublin, Ca

It is true that there have been many advances in medicine since the 50's. Think of modern X-Ray, CAT Scan, Pet Scans etc. Many of these advancements have helped lengthen life spans quite a bit but all this equipment is very expensive and we are paying for it. "Progress" does not come cheap. Many of these modern machines cost in the millions of dollars each. That's why I am so fortunate to have free medical for life, and the VA facilities I go to are as modern as any hospital. Oh and the Palo Alto, Ca VA district has a very close working relationship with this little hospital down the street (Stanford!!)

SteveR Loc: Michigan

Where are you having breakfast, the Ritz?

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

I have a retirement breakfast group who have been meeting weekly since 1997! When we first began, breakfast was around $6 - $7which included an extremely generous tip. We now pay around $20 -$23 including a very generous tip. Before the Pandemic (2018-2019), the cost was around $12 - $14. Our tip is around 20-25%. We eat at local diners in NJ.
Mark

ken_stern Loc: Yorba Linda, Ca

Eating Breakfast for two @ Dennys goes for the same & you get less to eat while the coffee really sucks
I miss N.J. Dinners

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

Denny's really does suck!! I ate there once. NJ diners are excellent - not gourmet, but for breakfast they are hard to beat. Sorry you don't have better choices Ken! We meet on Wed. at 9:30. Come join us!
Mark

ken_stern Loc: Yorba Linda, Ca

N.J. is my home state -- Actually Jersey City then Metuchen --
Her home state is CA & "she" is not moving (do "still" love the girl) --
I miss the 4 seasons BUT most especially those N.J. Dinners

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

I'm also a Jersey City born guy. My mom's family was from JC. As a youngster I visited JC often. My grandfather had a carpentry shop/business in JC. He probably built most of the storefronts in JC. My former wife's family owned the Plaza hotel. Small world, right?
Mark

ken_stern Loc: Yorba Linda, Ca

Small world indeed
Just remember next time you get sick don't call that "home visit circa 1950 Doc" You may not get over it

PS: When I was a Jersey boy -- God lived @ Ebbits Field --