According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 5,637.38% higher in 2026 versus 1935 (a $59,192,514,705.88 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 $1,050,000,000 in the year 1935 would cost $60,242,514,705.88 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 $1,050,000,000 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 | $1,050,000,000.00 | - |
| 1936 | $1,050,000,000.00 | 0.00% ** |
| 1937 | $1,058,578,431.37 | 0.82% |
| 1938 | $1,060,294,117.65 | 0.16% |
| 1939 | $1,066,299,019.61 | 0.57% |
| 1940 | $1,065,441,176.47 | -0.08% |
| 1941 | $1,071,446,078.43 | 0.56% |
| 1942 | $1,099,754,901.96 | 2.64% |
| 1943 | $1,152,083,333.33 | 4.76% |
| 1944 | $1,186,397,058.82 | 2.98% |
| 1945 | $1,219,852,941.18 | 2.82% |
| 1946 | $1,277,328,431.37 | 4.71% |
| 1947 | $1,393,995,098.04 | 9.13% |
| 1948 | $1,479,779,411.76 | 6.15% |
| 1949 | $1,527,818,627.45 | 3.25% |
| 1950 | $1,556,127,450.98 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $1,629,901,960.78 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $1,719,117,647.06 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $1,780,024,509.80 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $1,834,926,470.59 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $1,877,818,627.45 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $1,946,446,078.43 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $2,026,225,490.20 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $2,123,161,764.71 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $2,212,377,450.98 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $2,290,441,176.47 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $2,359,926,470.59 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $2,422,549,019.61 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $2,480,024,509.80 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $2,530,637,254.90 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $2,592,401,960.78 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $2,707,352,941.18 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $2,897,794,117.65 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $3,073,651,960.78 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $3,286,397,058.82 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $3,494,852,941.18 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $3,721,323,529.41 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $3,841,421,568.63 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $3,989,828,431.37 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $4,361,274,509.80 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $4,887,132,352.94 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $5,352,083,333.33 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $5,863,357,843.14 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $6,358,333,333.33 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $6,946,813,725.49 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $7,707,720,588.24 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $8,536,397,058.82 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $9,527,205,882.35 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $10,355,024,509.80 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $11,000,122,549.02 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $11,685,539,215.69 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $12,563,112,745.10 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $13,396,936,274.51 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $14,271,936,274.51 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $15,363,970,588.24 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $16,758,823,529.41 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $18,222,303,921.57 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $19,565,686,274.51 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $20,733,210,784.31 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $21,722,303,921.57 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $22,695,098,039.22 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $23,493,750,000.00 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $24,148,284,313.73 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $24,925,490,196.08 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $25,795,343,137.25 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $26,841,911,764.71 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $28,078,063,725.49 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $29,400,000,000.00 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $30,581,250,000.00 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $31,925,490,196.08 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $33,273,161,764.71 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $34,607,107,843.14 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $36,137,868,872.55 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $37,477,262,254.90 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $38,666,069,852.94 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $39,986,024,509.80 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $41,202,977,941.18 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $42,712,756,127.45 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $43,763,845,588.24 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $44,809,496,323.53 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $45,989,185,049.02 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $47,731,215,686.27 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $48,930,188,725.49 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $49,896,308,823.53 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $51,307,254,901.96 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $53,413,654,411.76 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $54,072,572,303.92 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $56,262,860,294.12 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $56,523,387,254.90 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $58,042,455,882.35 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $59,694,970,588.24 | 2.85% |
| 2026 | $60,242,514,705.88 | 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 |