According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 5,581.68% higher in 2026 versus 1938 (a $55,816,796,116.50 difference in value).
Between 1938 and 2026:Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 4.70% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $1,000,000,000 in the year 1938 would cost $56,816,796,116.50 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.63% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1938: Pricing changed by 0.16%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for medical care during the 1938-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation for medical care was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $1,000,000,000 beginning in 1938. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | $1,000,000,000.00 | 0.16% |
| 1939 | $1,005,663,430.42 | 0.57% |
| 1940 | $1,004,854,368.93 | -0.08% |
| 1941 | $1,010,517,799.35 | 0.56% |
| 1942 | $1,037,216,828.48 | 2.64% |
| 1943 | $1,086,569,579.29 | 4.76% |
| 1944 | $1,118,932,038.83 | 2.98% |
| 1945 | $1,150,485,436.89 | 2.82% |
| 1946 | $1,204,692,556.63 | 4.71% |
| 1947 | $1,314,724,919.09 | 9.13% |
| 1948 | $1,395,631,067.96 | 6.15% |
| 1949 | $1,440,938,511.33 | 3.25% |
| 1950 | $1,467,637,540.45 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $1,537,216,828.48 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $1,621,359,223.30 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $1,678,802,589.00 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $1,730,582,524.27 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $1,771,035,598.71 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $1,835,760,517.80 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $1,911,003,236.25 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $2,002,427,184.47 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $2,086,569,579.29 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $2,160,194,174.76 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $2,225,728,155.34 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $2,284,789,644.01 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $2,338,996,763.75 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $2,386,731,391.59 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $2,444,983,818.77 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $2,553,398,058.25 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $2,733,009,708.74 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $2,898,867,313.92 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $3,099,514,563.11 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $3,296,116,504.85 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $3,509,708,737.86 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $3,622,977,346.28 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $3,762,944,983.82 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $4,113,268,608.41 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $4,609,223,300.97 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $5,047,734,627.83 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $5,529,935,275.08 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $5,996,763,754.05 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $6,551,779,935.28 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $7,269,417,475.73 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $8,050,970,873.79 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $8,985,436,893.20 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $9,766,181,229.77 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $10,374,595,469.26 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $11,021,035,598.71 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $11,848,705,501.62 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $12,635,113,268.61 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $13,460,355,987.06 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $14,490,291,262.14 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $15,805,825,242.72 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $17,186,084,142.39 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $18,453,074,433.66 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $19,554,207,119.74 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $20,487,055,016.18 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $21,404,530,744.34 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $22,157,766,990.29 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $22,775,080,906.15 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $23,508,090,614.89 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $24,328,478,964.40 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $25,315,533,980.58 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $26,481,391,585.76 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $27,728,155,339.81 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $28,842,233,009.71 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $30,110,032,362.46 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $31,381,067,961.17 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $32,639,158,576.05 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $34,082,872,168.28 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $35,346,100,323.62 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $36,467,305,825.24 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $37,712,200,647.25 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $38,859,951,456.31 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $40,283,875,404.53 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $41,275,194,174.76 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $42,261,383,495.15 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $43,373,988,673.14 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $45,016,957,928.80 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $46,147,750,809.06 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $47,058,932,038.83 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $48,389,644,012.94 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $50,376,262,135.92 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $50,997,710,355.99 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $53,063,446,601.94 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $53,309,158,576.05 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $54,741,844,660.19 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $56,300,388,349.51 | 2.85% |
| 2026 | $56,816,796,116.50 | 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 |