According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 5,613.83% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $113,744,481.12 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 $2,026,149 in the year 1940 would cost $115,770,630.12 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 $2,026,149 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 | $2,026,149.00 | -0.08% |
| 1941 | $2,037,568.52 | 0.56% |
| 1942 | $2,091,403.40 | 2.64% |
| 1943 | $2,190,916.35 | 4.76% |
| 1944 | $2,256,170.75 | 2.98% |
| 1945 | $2,319,793.78 | 2.82% |
| 1946 | $2,429,094.90 | 4.71% |
| 1947 | $2,650,959.84 | 9.13% |
| 1948 | $2,814,095.83 | 6.15% |
| 1949 | $2,905,451.99 | 3.25% |
| 1950 | $2,959,286.86 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $3,099,583.82 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $3,269,245.25 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $3,385,071.80 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $3,489,478.83 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $3,571,046.83 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $3,701,555.62 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $3,853,272.09 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $4,037,615.76 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $4,207,277.19 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $4,355,730.94 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $4,487,871.09 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $4,606,960.37 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $4,716,261.48 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $4,812,511.71 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $4,929,969.63 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $5,148,571.86 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $5,510,733.75 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $5,845,162.53 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $6,249,739.79 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $6,646,160.25 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $7,076,839.26 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $7,305,229.65 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $7,587,454.91 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $8,293,833.75 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $9,293,857.37 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $10,178,054.44 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $11,150,344.94 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $12,091,639.60 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $13,210,752.50 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $14,657,768.73 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $16,233,662.40 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $18,117,883.09 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $19,692,145.39 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $20,918,928.04 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $22,222,384.60 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $23,891,265.79 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $25,476,947.61 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $27,140,934.71 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $29,217,655.87 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $31,870,247.07 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $34,653,347.07 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $37,208,056.68 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $39,428,337.50 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $41,309,295.47 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $43,159,257.60 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $44,678,053.67 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $45,922,781.28 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $47,400,793.35 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $49,054,992.29 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $51,045,251.38 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $53,396,041.00 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $55,909,966.61 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $58,156,349.20 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $60,712,690.16 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $63,275,556.57 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $65,812,321.22 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $68,723,368.77 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $71,270,492.56 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $73,531,247.43 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $76,041,404.60 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $78,355,684.38 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $81,226,828.87 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $83,225,685.22 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $85,214,198.75 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $87,457,612.26 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $90,770,431.13 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $93,050,517.61 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $94,887,787.76 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $97,570,983.28 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $101,576,722.27 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $102,829,786.12 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $106,995,055.79 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $107,490,499.80 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $110,379,311.91 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $113,640,171.97 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $115,770,630.12 | 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 |