According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 5,613.83% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $8,252,324,347,826.09 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2026:Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 4.82% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $147,000,000,000 in the year 1940 would cost $8,399,324,347,826.09 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.73% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1940: Pricing changed by -0.08%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for medical care during the 1940-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1940 (0.72%), inflation for medical care was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $147,000,000,000 beginning in 1940. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | $147,000,000,000.00 | -0.08% |
| 1941 | $147,828,502,415.46 | 0.56% |
| 1942 | $151,734,299,516.91 | 2.64% |
| 1943 | $158,954,106,280.19 | 4.76% |
| 1944 | $163,688,405,797.10 | 2.98% |
| 1945 | $168,304,347,826.09 | 2.82% |
| 1946 | $176,234,299,516.91 | 4.71% |
| 1947 | $192,330,917,874.40 | 9.13% |
| 1948 | $204,166,666,666.67 | 6.15% |
| 1949 | $210,794,685,990.34 | 3.25% |
| 1950 | $214,700,483,091.79 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $224,879,227,053.14 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $237,188,405,797.10 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $245,591,787,439.61 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $253,166,666,666.67 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $259,084,541,062.80 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $268,553,140,096.62 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $279,560,386,473.43 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $292,934,782,608.70 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $305,243,961,352.66 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $316,014,492,753.62 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $325,601,449,275.36 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $334,241,545,893.72 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $342,171,497,584.54 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $349,154,589,371.98 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $357,676,328,502.42 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $373,536,231,884.06 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $399,811,594,202.90 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $424,074,879,227.05 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $453,427,536,231.88 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $482,188,405,797.10 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $513,434,782,608.70 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $530,004,830,917.87 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $550,480,676,328.50 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $601,729,468,599.03 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $674,282,608,695.65 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $738,432,367,149.76 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $808,973,429,951.69 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $877,265,700,483.09 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $958,458,937,198.07 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $1,063,442,028,985.51 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $1,177,775,362,318.84 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $1,314,478,260,869.57 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $1,428,693,236,714.98 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $1,517,698,067,632.85 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $1,612,265,700,483.09 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $1,733,345,410,628.02 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $1,848,388,888,888.89 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $1,969,113,526,570.05 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $2,119,782,608,695.65 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $2,312,231,884,057.97 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $2,514,149,758,454.11 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $2,699,497,584,541.06 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $2,860,582,125,603.87 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $2,997,048,309,178.74 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $3,131,265,700,483.09 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $3,241,456,521,739.13 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $3,331,763,285,024.16 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $3,438,995,169,082.13 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $3,559,009,661,835.75 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $3,703,405,797,101.45 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $3,873,958,937,198.07 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $4,056,347,826,086.96 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $4,219,326,086,956.52 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $4,404,792,270,531.40 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $4,590,731,884,057.97 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $4,774,777,777,777.78 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $4,985,978,429,951.69 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $5,170,775,893,719.81 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $5,334,796,884,057.97 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $5,516,912,367,149.76 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $5,684,816,666,666.67 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $5,893,122,294,685.99 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $6,038,142,173,913.04 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $6,182,411,666,666.67 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $6,345,174,516,908.21 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $6,585,524,251,207.73 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $6,750,947,777,777.78 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $6,884,244,347,826.09 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $7,078,914,009,661.84 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $7,369,536,086,956.52 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $7,460,447,657,004.83 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $7,762,643,913,043.48 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $7,798,589,082,125.61 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $8,008,176,521,739.13 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $8,244,756,570,048.31 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $8,399,324,347,826.09 | 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 |