According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 5,623.23% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $120,337,088,474.81 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 $2,140,000,000 in the year 1940 would cost $122,477,088,474.81 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.75% 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 $2,140,000,000 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 | $2,140,000,000.00 | -0.08% |
| 1941 | $2,152,061,191.63 | 0.56% |
| 1942 | $2,208,921,095.01 | 2.64% |
| 1943 | $2,314,025,764.90 | 4.76% |
| 1944 | $2,382,946,859.90 | 2.98% |
| 1945 | $2,450,144,927.54 | 2.82% |
| 1946 | $2,565,587,761.67 | 4.71% |
| 1947 | $2,799,919,484.70 | 9.13% |
| 1948 | $2,972,222,222.22 | 6.15% |
| 1949 | $3,068,711,755.23 | 3.25% |
| 1950 | $3,125,571,658.62 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $3,273,752,012.88 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $3,452,946,859.90 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $3,575,281,803.54 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $3,685,555,555.56 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $3,771,706,924.32 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $3,909,549,114.33 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $4,069,790,660.23 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $4,264,492,753.62 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $4,443,687,600.64 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $4,600,483,091.79 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $4,740,048,309.18 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $4,865,829,307.57 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $4,981,272,141.71 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $5,082,930,756.84 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $5,206,988,727.86 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $5,437,874,396.14 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $5,820,386,473.43 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $6,173,607,085.35 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $6,600,917,874.40 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $7,019,613,526.57 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $7,474,492,753.62 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $7,715,716,586.15 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $8,013,800,322.06 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $8,759,871,175.52 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $9,816,086,956.52 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $10,749,967,793.88 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $11,776,892,109.50 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $12,771,078,904.99 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $13,953,075,684.38 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $15,481,400,966.18 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $17,145,845,410.63 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $19,135,942,028.99 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $20,798,663,446.05 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $22,094,380,032.21 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $23,471,078,904.99 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $25,233,735,909.82 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $26,908,518,518.52 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $28,666,006,441.22 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $30,859,420,289.86 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $33,661,062,801.93 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $36,600,547,504.03 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $39,298,808,373.59 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $41,643,848,631.24 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $43,630,499,194.85 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $45,584,412,238.33 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $47,188,550,724.64 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $48,503,220,611.92 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $50,064,283,413.85 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $51,811,433,172.30 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $53,913,526,570.05 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $56,396,409,017.71 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $59,051,594,202.90 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $61,424,202,898.55 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $64,124,186,795.49 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $66,831,062,801.93 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $69,510,370,370.37 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $72,584,992,109.50 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $75,275,240,901.77 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $77,663,029,468.60 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $80,314,234,460.55 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $82,758,555,555.56 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $85,791,032,045.09 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $87,902,205,797.10 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $90,002,455,555.56 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $92,371,928,341.38 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $95,870,897,262.48 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $98,279,103,703.70 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $100,219,611,594.20 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $103,053,578,099.84 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $107,284,402,898.55 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $108,607,877,455.72 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $113,007,197,101.45 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $113,530,480,515.30 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $116,581,617,391.30 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $120,025,707,890.50 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $122,477,088,474.81 | 2.04%* |
* 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 | 592.354 |