According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 5,637.38% higher in 2026 versus 1935 (a $149,390,632,352.94 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 $2,650,000,000 in the year 1935 would cost $152,040,632,352.94 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 $2,650,000,000 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 | $2,650,000,000.00 | - |
| 1936 | $2,650,000,000.00 | 0.00% ** |
| 1937 | $2,671,650,326.80 | 0.82% |
| 1938 | $2,675,980,392.16 | 0.16% |
| 1939 | $2,691,135,620.92 | 0.57% |
| 1940 | $2,688,970,588.24 | -0.08% |
| 1941 | $2,704,125,816.99 | 0.56% |
| 1942 | $2,775,571,895.42 | 2.64% |
| 1943 | $2,907,638,888.89 | 4.76% |
| 1944 | $2,994,240,196.08 | 2.98% |
| 1945 | $3,078,676,470.59 | 2.82% |
| 1946 | $3,223,733,660.13 | 4.71% |
| 1947 | $3,518,178,104.58 | 9.13% |
| 1948 | $3,734,681,372.55 | 6.15% |
| 1949 | $3,855,923,202.61 | 3.25% |
| 1950 | $3,927,369,281.05 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $4,113,562,091.50 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $4,338,725,490.20 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $4,492,442,810.46 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $4,631,004,901.96 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $4,739,256,535.95 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $4,912,459,150.33 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $5,113,807,189.54 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $5,358,455,882.35 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $5,583,619,281.05 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $5,780,637,254.90 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $5,956,004,901.96 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $6,114,052,287.58 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $6,259,109,477.12 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $6,386,846,405.23 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $6,542,728,758.17 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $6,832,843,137.25 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $7,313,480,392.16 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $7,757,312,091.50 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $8,294,240,196.08 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $8,820,343,137.25 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $9,391,911,764.71 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $9,695,016,339.87 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $10,069,566,993.46 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $11,007,026,143.79 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $12,334,191,176.47 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $13,507,638,888.89 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $14,797,998,366.01 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $16,047,222,222.22 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $17,532,434,640.52 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $19,452,818,627.45 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $21,544,240,196.08 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $24,044,852,941.18 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $26,134,109,477.12 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $27,762,214,052.29 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $29,492,075,163.40 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $31,706,903,594.77 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $33,811,315,359.48 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $36,019,648,692.81 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $38,775,735,294.12 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $42,296,078,431.37 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $45,989,624,183.01 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $49,380,065,359.48 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $52,326,674,836.60 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $54,822,957,516.34 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $57,278,104,575.16 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $59,293,750,000.00 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $60,945,669,934.64 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $62,907,189,542.48 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $65,102,532,679.74 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $67,743,872,549.02 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $70,863,684,640.52 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $74,200,000,000.00 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $77,181,250,000.00 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $80,573,856,209.15 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $83,975,122,549.02 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $87,341,748,366.01 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $91,205,097,630.72 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $94,585,471,405.23 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $97,585,795,343.14 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $100,917,109,477.12 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $103,988,468,137.25 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $107,798,860,702.61 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $110,451,610,294.12 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $113,090,633,578.43 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $116,067,943,218.95 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $120,464,496,732.03 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $123,490,476,307.19 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $125,928,779,411.76 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $129,489,738,562.09 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $134,805,889,705.88 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $136,468,872,957.52 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $141,996,742,647.06 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $142,654,263,071.90 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $146,488,102,941.18 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $150,658,735,294.12 | 2.85% |
| 2026 | $152,040,632,352.94 | 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 |