According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 4,977.77% higher in 2026 versus 1944 (a $1,762,130,603,036.88 difference in value).
Between 1944 and 2026: Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 4.91% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $35,400,000,000 in the year 1944 would cost $1,797,530,603,036.88 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.62% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1944: Pricing changed by 2.98%, which is below the average yearly change for medical care during the 1944-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1944 (1.64%), inflation for medical care was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $35,400,000,000 beginning in 1944. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1944 | $35,400,000,000.00 | 2.98% |
| 1945 | $36,398,264,642.08 | 2.82% |
| 1946 | $38,113,232,104.12 | 4.71% |
| 1947 | $41,594,360,086.77 | 9.13% |
| 1948 | $44,154,013,015.18 | 6.15% |
| 1949 | $45,587,418,655.10 | 3.25% |
| 1950 | $46,432,104,121.48 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $48,633,405,639.91 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $51,295,444,685.47 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $53,112,798,264.64 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $54,750,976,138.83 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $56,030,802,603.04 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $58,078,524,945.77 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $60,459,002,169.20 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $63,351,409,978.31 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $66,013,449,023.86 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $68,342,733,188.72 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $70,416,052,060.74 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $72,284,598,698.48 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $73,999,566,160.52 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $75,509,761,388.29 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $77,352,711,496.75 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $80,782,646,420.82 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $86,465,075,921.91 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $91,712,364,425.16 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $98,060,303,687.64 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $104,280,260,303.69 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $111,037,744,034.71 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $114,621,258,134.49 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $119,049,457,700.65 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $130,132,754,880.69 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $145,823,427,331.89 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $159,696,746,203.90 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $174,952,277,657.27 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $189,721,475,054.23 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $207,280,694,143.17 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $229,984,815,618.22 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $254,711,062,906.72 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $284,275,054,229.93 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $308,975,704,989.15 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $328,224,295,010.85 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $348,675,921,908.89 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $374,861,171,366.59 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $399,740,997,830.80 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $425,849,457,700.65 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $458,433,839,479.39 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $500,053,796,095.44 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $543,721,475,054.23 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $583,805,639,913.23 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $618,642,516,268.98 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $648,155,314,533.62 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $677,181,778,741.87 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $701,012,147,505.42 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $720,542,299,349.24 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $743,732,754,880.69 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $769,687,635,574.84 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $800,915,401,301.52 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $837,800,000,000.00 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $877,244,251,626.90 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $912,490,672,451.19 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $952,600,433,839.48 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $992,812,581,344.90 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $1,032,615,184,381.78 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $1,078,290,399,132.32 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $1,118,255,540,130.15 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $1,153,727,466,377.44 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $1,193,112,590,021.69 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $1,229,424,338,394.79 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $1,274,473,462,039.05 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $1,305,836,121,475.05 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $1,337,036,498,915.40 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $1,372,236,334,056.40 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $1,424,215,462,039.05 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $1,459,990,707,158.35 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $1,488,818,030,368.76 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $1,530,918,177,874.19 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $1,593,769,431,670.28 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $1,613,430,381,778.74 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $1,678,784,720,173.54 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $1,686,558,386,117.14 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $1,731,884,720,173.54 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $1,781,192,850,325.38 | 2.85% |
| 2026 | $1,797,530,603,036.88 | 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 |