Medical care price inflation, 1935→2026

Medical Care Inflation Calculator

Prices for Medical Care, 1935-2026 ($3,250)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 5,697.85% higher in 2026 versus 1935 (a $185,180.22 difference in value).

Between 1935 and 2026:Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 4.56% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $3,250 in the year 1935 would cost $188,430.22 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.

Price Inflation for Medical care since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1975 (12.06%), 1982 (11.61%), and 1980 (10.95%).

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Buying power of $3,250.00 since 1935

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $3,250 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	$3,250.00	-
1936	$3,250.00	0.00% **
1937	$3,276.55	0.82%
1938	$3,281.86	0.16%
1939	$3,300.45	0.57%
1940	$3,297.79	-0.08%
1941	$3,316.38	0.56%
1942	$3,404.00	2.64%
1943	$3,565.97	4.76%
1944	$3,672.18	2.98%
1945	$3,775.74	2.82%
1946	$3,953.64	4.71%
1947	$4,314.75	9.13%
1948	$4,580.27	6.15%
1949	$4,728.96	3.25%
1950	$4,816.58	1.85%
1951	$5,044.93	4.74%
1952	$5,321.08	5.47%
1953	$5,509.60	3.54%
1954	$5,679.53	3.08%
1955	$5,812.30	2.34%
1956	$6,024.71	3.65%
1957	$6,271.65	4.10%
1958	$6,571.69	4.78%
1959	$6,847.83	4.20%
1960	$7,089.46	3.53%
1961	$7,304.53	3.03%
1962	$7,498.37	2.65%
1963	$7,676.27	2.37%
1964	$7,832.92	2.04%
1965	$8,024.10	2.44%
1966	$8,379.90	4.43%
1967	$8,969.36	7.03%
1968	$9,513.68	6.07%
1969	$10,172.18	6.92%
1970	$10,817.40	6.34%
1971	$11,518.38	6.48%
1972	$11,890.11	3.23%
1973	$12,349.47	3.86%
1974	$13,499.18	9.31%
1975	$15,126.84	12.06%
1976	$16,565.97	9.51%
1977	$18,148.49	9.55%
1978	$19,680.56	8.44%
1979	$21,502.04	9.26%
1980	$23,857.23	10.95%
1981	$26,422.18	10.75%
1982	$29,488.97	11.61%
1983	$32,051.27	8.69%
1984	$34,048.00	6.23%
1985	$36,169.53	6.23%
1986	$38,885.83	7.51%
1987	$41,466.71	6.64%
1988	$44,175.04	6.53%
1989	$47,555.15	7.65%
1990	$51,872.55	9.08%
1991	$56,402.37	8.73%
1992	$60,560.46	7.37%
1993	$64,174.22	5.97%
1994	$67,235.70	4.77%
1995	$70,246.73	4.48%
1996	$72,718.75	3.52%
1997	$74,744.69	2.79%
1998	$77,150.33	3.22%
1999	$79,842.73	3.49%
2000	$83,082.11	4.06%
2001	$86,908.29	4.61%
2002	$91,000.00	4.71%
2003	$94,656.25	4.02%
2004	$98,816.99	4.40%
2005	$102,988.36	4.22%
2006	$107,117.24	4.01%
2007	$111,855.31	4.42%
2008	$116,001.05	3.71%
2009	$119,680.69	3.17%
2010	$123,766.27	3.41%
2011	$127,533.03	3.04%
2012	$132,206.15	3.66%
2013	$135,459.52	2.46%
2014	$138,696.06	2.39%
2015	$142,347.48	2.63%
2016	$147,739.48	3.79%
2017	$151,450.58	2.51%
2018	$154,440.96	1.97%
2019	$158,808.17	2.83%
2020	$165,327.98	4.11%
2021	$167,367.49	1.23%
2022	$174,146.95	4.05%
2023	$174,953.34	0.46%
2024	$179,655.22	2.69%
2025	$184,962.65	2.95%
2026	$188,430.22	1.87%*

* 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	580.498	591.381

Adjust medical care prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2026 / CPI in 1935* 1935 USD value = 2026 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Medical care was 10.200 in the year 1935 and 591.381 in 2026:

591.381 / 10.200* $3,250 = $188,430.22

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $3,250 in 1935 has the same "purchasing power" as $188,430.22 in 2026 (in the CPI category of Medical care).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Medical care in 1935. In addition to medical care, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.