According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 5,637.38% higher in 2026 versus 1935 (a $356,378,609,634.64 difference in value).
Between 1935 and 2026: Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 4.55% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $6,321,703,715 in the year 1935 would cost $362,700,313,349.64 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.54% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $6,321,703,715 beginning in 1935. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1935 | $6,321,703,715.00 | - |
| 1936 | $6,321,703,715.00 | 0.00% ** |
| 1937 | $6,373,351,621.17 | 0.82% |
| 1938 | $6,383,681,202.40 | 0.16% |
| 1939 | $6,419,834,736.72 | 0.57% |
| 1940 | $6,414,669,946.10 | -0.08% |
| 1941 | $6,450,823,480.42 | 0.56% |
| 1942 | $6,621,261,570.78 | 2.64% |
| 1943 | $6,936,313,798.40 | 4.76% |
| 1944 | $7,142,905,423.08 | 2.98% |
| 1945 | $7,344,332,257.13 | 2.82% |
| 1946 | $7,690,373,228.46 | 4.71% |
| 1947 | $8,392,784,752.35 | 9.13% |
| 1948 | $8,909,263,814.03 | 6.15% |
| 1949 | $9,198,492,088.57 | 3.25% |
| 1950 | $9,368,930,178.93 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $9,813,102,171.98 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $10,350,240,396.13 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $10,716,940,529.92 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $11,047,487,129.40 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $11,305,726,660.24 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $11,718,909,909.59 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $12,199,235,436.95 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $12,782,856,776.65 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $13,319,995,000.80 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $13,789,990,946.94 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $14,208,338,986.90 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $14,585,368,701.93 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $14,931,409,673.26 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $15,236,132,319.65 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $15,607,997,244.06 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $16,300,079,186.72 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $17,446,662,703.65 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $18,505,444,780.10 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $19,786,312,853.08 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $21,041,356,972.97 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $22,404,861,695.81 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $23,127,932,382.17 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $24,021,441,158.88 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $26,257,795,495.96 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $29,423,812,144.08 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $32,223,128,658.40 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $35,301,343,866.03 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $38,281,428,051.94 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $41,824,474,415.09 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $46,405,643,692.22 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $51,394,831,428.08 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $57,360,164,590.51 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $62,344,187,535.76 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $66,228,110,079.61 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $70,354,777,782.46 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $75,638,358,583.48 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $80,658,535,063.04 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $85,926,621,492.20 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $92,501,399,947.43 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $100,899,349,490.39 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $109,710,482,282.70 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $117,798,544,388.66 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $124,827,824,418.17 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $130,782,827,999.37 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $136,639,700,558.86 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $141,448,120,623.13 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $145,388,855,863.77 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $150,068,156,162.61 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $155,305,253,848.08 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $161,606,298,400.61 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $169,048,761,679.46 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $177,007,704,020.00 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $184,119,620,699.38 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $192,212,847,595.95 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $200,326,733,654.99 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $208,357,983,064.16 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $217,574,190,384.55 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $225,638,236,214.14 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $232,795,654,698.85 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $240,742,666,373.06 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $248,069,541,637.90 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $257,159,418,179.81 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $263,487,681,178.89 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $269,783,199,405.46 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $276,885,716,165.91 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $287,373,908,119.42 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $294,592,529,372.94 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $300,409,219,861.42 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $308,904,060,876.36 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $321,585,997,644.36 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $325,553,124,965.05 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $338,740,126,607.48 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $340,308,673,517.81 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $349,454,484,742.09 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $359,403,730,794.73 | 2.85% |
| 2026 | $362,700,313,349.64 | 0.92%* |
* 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 | 2026 |
| CPI | 10.200 | 10.200 | 10.283 | 10.300 | 10.358 | 10.350 | 10.408 | 10.683 | 11.192 | 11.525 | 11.850 | 12.408 | 13.542 | 14.375 | 14.842 | 15.117 | 15.833 | 16.700 | 17.292 | 17.825 | 18.242 | 18.908 | 19.683 | 20.625 | 21.492 | 22.250 | 22.925 | 23.533 | 24.092 | 24.583 | 25.183 | 26.300 | 28.150 | 29.858 | 31.925 | 33.950 | 36.150 | 37.317 | 38.758 | 42.367 | 47.475 | 51.992 | 56.958 | 61.767 | 67.483 | 74.875 | 82.925 | 92.550 | 100.592 | 106.858 | 113.517 | 122.042 | 130.142 | 138.642 | 149.250 | 162.800 | 177.017 | 190.067 | 201.408 | 211.017 | 220.467 | 228.225 | 234.583 | 242.133 | 250.583 | 260.750 | 272.758 | 285.600 | 297.075 | 310.133 | 323.225 | 336.183 | 351.054 | 364.065 | 375.613 | 388.436 | 400.257 | 414.924 | 425.134 | 435.292 | 446.752 | 463.675 | 475.322 | 484.707 | 498.413 | 518.875 | 525.276 | 546.553 | 549.084 | 563.841 | 579.894 | 585.213 |