According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 5,581.68% higher in 2026 versus 1938 (a $8,930,687.38 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 $160,000 in the year 1938 would cost $9,090,687.38 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 $160,000 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 | $160,000.00 | 0.16% |
| 1939 | $160,906.15 | 0.57% |
| 1940 | $160,776.70 | -0.08% |
| 1941 | $161,682.85 | 0.56% |
| 1942 | $165,954.69 | 2.64% |
| 1943 | $173,851.13 | 4.76% |
| 1944 | $179,029.13 | 2.98% |
| 1945 | $184,077.67 | 2.82% |
| 1946 | $192,750.81 | 4.71% |
| 1947 | $210,355.99 | 9.13% |
| 1948 | $223,300.97 | 6.15% |
| 1949 | $230,550.16 | 3.25% |
| 1950 | $234,822.01 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $245,954.69 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $259,417.48 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $268,608.41 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $276,893.20 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $283,365.70 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $293,721.68 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $305,760.52 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $320,388.35 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $333,851.13 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $345,631.07 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $356,116.50 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $365,566.34 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $374,239.48 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $381,877.02 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $391,197.41 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $408,543.69 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $437,281.55 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $463,818.77 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $495,922.33 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $527,378.64 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $561,553.40 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $579,676.38 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $602,071.20 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $658,122.98 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $737,475.73 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $807,637.54 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $884,789.64 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $959,482.20 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $1,048,284.79 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $1,163,106.80 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $1,288,155.34 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $1,437,669.90 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $1,562,589.00 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $1,659,935.28 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $1,763,365.70 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $1,895,792.88 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $2,021,618.12 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $2,153,656.96 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $2,318,446.60 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $2,528,932.04 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $2,749,773.46 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $2,952,491.91 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $3,128,673.14 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $3,277,928.80 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $3,424,724.92 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $3,545,242.72 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $3,644,012.94 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $3,761,294.50 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $3,892,556.63 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $4,050,485.44 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $4,237,022.65 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $4,436,504.85 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $4,614,757.28 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $4,817,605.18 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $5,020,970.87 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $5,222,265.37 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $5,453,259.55 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $5,655,376.05 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $5,834,768.93 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $6,033,952.10 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $6,217,592.23 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $6,445,420.06 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $6,604,031.07 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $6,761,821.36 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $6,939,838.19 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $7,202,713.27 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $7,383,640.13 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $7,529,429.13 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $7,742,343.04 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $8,060,201.94 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $8,159,633.66 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $8,490,151.46 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $8,529,465.37 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $8,758,695.15 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $9,008,062.14 | 2.85% |
| 2026 | $9,090,687.38 | 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 |