According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care services are 7,460.06% higher in 2026 versus 1939 (a $1,492.01 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2026:Medical care services experienced an average inflation rate of 5.10% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care services costing $20 in the year 1939 would cost $1,512.01 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.69% during this same period, inflation for medical care services was higher.
In the year 1939: Pricing changed by 0.69%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for medical care services during the 1939-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1939 (-1.30%), inflation for medical care services was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care services, over time, for $20 beginning in 1939. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1939 | $20.00 | 0.69% |
| 1940 | $20.10 | 0.49% |
| 1941 | $20.12 | 0.10% |
| 1942 | $20.57 | 2.25% |
| 1943 | $21.67 | 5.36% |
| 1944 | $22.64 | 4.45% |
| 1945 | $23.23 | 2.61% |
| 1946 | $24.47 | 5.34% |
| 1947 | $26.68 | 9.02% |
| 1948 | $28.41 | 6.50% |
| 1949 | $29.60 | 4.16% |
| 1950 | $30.19 | 2.00% |
| 1951 | $31.65 | 4.83% |
| 1952 | $33.67 | 6.41% |
| 1953 | $34.92 | 3.69% |
| 1954 | $35.96 | 2.99% |
| 1955 | $37.10 | 3.18% |
| 1956 | $38.58 | 3.98% |
| 1957 | $40.24 | 4.29% |
| 1958 | $42.23 | 4.95% |
| 1959 | $44.28 | 4.85% |
| 1960 | $46.09 | 4.09% |
| 1961 | $47.78 | 3.68% |
| 1962 | $49.36 | 3.30% |
| 1963 | $50.82 | 2.95% |
| 1964 | $52.06 | 2.44% |
| 1965 | $53.67 | 3.10% |
| 1966 | $56.57 | 5.40% |
| 1967 | $61.50 | 8.71% |
| 1968 | $66.03 | 7.37% |
| 1969 | $71.35 | 8.06% |
| 1970 | $76.43 | 7.13% |
| 1971 | $81.99 | 7.27% |
| 1972 | $84.99 | 3.65% |
| 1973 | $88.77 | 4.45% |
| 1974 | $97.83 | 10.21% |
| 1975 | $110.17 | 12.61% |
| 1976 | $121.20 | 10.02% |
| 1977 | $133.24 | 9.93% |
| 1978 | $144.79 | 8.67% |
| 1979 | $158.86 | 9.72% |
| 1980 | $176.77 | 11.28% |
| 1981 | $195.72 | 10.72% |
| 1982 | $218.94 | 11.86% |
| 1983 | $238.05 | 8.73% |
| 1984 | $252.37 | 6.02% |
| 1985 | $267.61 | 6.04% |
| 1986 | $288.26 | 7.72% |
| 1987 | $307.27 | 6.60% |
| 1988 | $327.11 | 6.46% |
| 1989 | $352.06 | 7.63% |
| 1990 | $384.65 | 9.26% |
| 1991 | $418.72 | 8.86% |
| 1992 | $450.50 | 7.59% |
| 1993 | $479.80 | 6.50% |
| 1994 | $504.63 | 5.17% |
| 1995 | $530.09 | 5.04% |
| 1996 | $549.54 | 3.67% |
| 1997 | $565.30 | 2.87% |
| 1998 | $583.57 | 3.23% |
| 1999 | $603.09 | 3.35% |
| 2000 | $629.00 | 4.30% |
| 2001 | $659.13 | 4.79% |
| 2002 | $692.53 | 5.07% |
| 2003 | $723.47 | 4.47% |
| 2004 | $759.80 | 5.02% |
| 2005 | $796.08 | 4.77% |
| 2006 | $829.04 | 4.14% |
| 2007 | $873.23 | 5.33% |
| 2008 | $910.21 | 4.24% |
| 2009 | $939.43 | 3.21% |
| 2010 | $972.31 | 3.50% |
| 2011 | $1,002.11 | 3.06% |
| 2012 | $1,041.20 | 3.90% |
| 2013 | $1,073.51 | 3.10% |
| 2014 | $1,099.03 | 2.38% |
| 2015 | $1,125.92 | 2.45% |
| 2016 | $1,169.89 | 3.91% |
| 2017 | $1,198.36 | 2.43% |
| 2018 | $1,224.37 | 2.17% |
| 2019 | $1,267.73 | 3.54% |
| 2020 | $1,330.40 | 4.94% |
| 2021 | $1,355.10 | 1.86% |
| 2022 | $1,413.30 | 4.29% |
| 2023 | $1,408.40 | -0.35% |
| 2024 | $1,448.08 | 2.82% |
| 2025 | $1,495.72 | 3.29% |
| 2026 | $1,512.01 | 1.09%* |
* 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 services:
| 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 | 2026 |
| CPI | 8.260 | 8.308 | 8.400 | 8.400 | 8.458 | 8.500 | 8.508 | 8.700 | 9.167 | 9.575 | 9.825 | 10.350 | 11.283 | 12.017 | 12.517 | 12.767 | 13.383 | 14.242 | 14.767 | 15.208 | 15.692 | 16.317 | 17.017 | 17.858 | 18.725 | 19.492 | 20.208 | 20.875 | 21.492 | 22.017 | 22.700 | 23.925 | 26.008 | 27.925 | 30.175 | 32.325 | 34.675 | 35.942 | 37.542 | 41.375 | 46.592 | 51.258 | 56.350 | 61.233 | 67.183 | 74.758 | 82.775 | 92.592 | 100.675 | 106.733 | 113.175 | 121.908 | 129.950 | 138.342 | 148.892 | 162.675 | 177.083 | 190.525 | 202.917 | 213.417 | 224.183 | 232.408 | 239.075 | 246.800 | 255.058 | 266.017 | 278.758 | 292.883 | 305.967 | 321.333 | 336.675 | 350.617 | 369.302 | 384.943 | 397.299 | 411.208 | 423.810 | 440.341 | 454.007 | 464.798 | 476.171 | 494.766 | 506.804 | 517.805 | 536.142 | 562.650 | 573.096 | 597.710 | 595.636 | 612.418 | 632.563 | 639.455 |