According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 5,549.68% higher in 2026 versus 1939 (a $17,758.99 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2026: Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 4.75% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $320 in the year 1939 would cost $18,078.99 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.69% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1939: Pricing changed by 0.57%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for medical care during the 1939-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1939 (-1.30%), inflation for medical care was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $320 beginning in 1939. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1939 | $320.00 | 0.57% |
| 1940 | $319.74 | -0.08% |
| 1941 | $321.54 | 0.56% |
| 1942 | $330.04 | 2.64% |
| 1943 | $345.74 | 4.76% |
| 1944 | $356.04 | 2.98% |
| 1945 | $366.08 | 2.82% |
| 1946 | $383.33 | 4.71% |
| 1947 | $418.34 | 9.13% |
| 1948 | $444.09 | 6.15% |
| 1949 | $458.50 | 3.25% |
| 1950 | $467.00 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $489.14 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $515.91 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $534.19 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $550.67 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $563.54 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $584.14 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $608.08 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $637.17 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $663.94 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $687.37 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $708.22 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $727.02 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $744.26 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $759.45 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $777.99 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $812.49 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $869.64 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $922.41 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $986.26 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $1,048.82 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $1,116.78 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $1,152.82 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $1,197.36 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $1,308.83 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $1,466.65 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $1,606.18 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $1,759.61 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $1,908.16 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $2,084.76 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $2,313.11 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $2,561.80 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $2,859.15 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $3,107.58 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $3,301.17 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $3,506.87 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $3,770.23 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $4,020.47 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $4,283.06 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $4,610.78 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $5,029.38 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $5,468.58 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $5,871.73 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $6,222.11 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $6,518.94 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $6,810.88 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $7,050.56 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $7,246.98 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $7,480.23 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $7,741.27 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $8,055.35 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $8,426.32 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $8,823.04 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $9,177.54 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $9,580.95 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $9,985.39 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $10,385.71 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $10,845.10 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $11,247.06 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $11,603.82 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $11,999.94 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $12,365.16 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $12,818.24 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $13,133.68 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $13,447.48 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $13,801.51 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $14,324.30 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $14,684.12 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $14,974.05 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $15,397.48 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $16,029.62 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $16,227.36 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $16,884.68 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $16,962.86 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $17,418.74 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $17,914.67 | 2.85% |
| 2026 | $18,078.99 | 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 |