According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 4,890.56% higher in 2026 versus 1945 (a $1,177,401.59 difference in value).
Between 1945 and 2026:Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 4.95% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $24,075 in the year 1945 would cost $1,201,476.59 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.64% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1945: Pricing changed by 2.82%, which is below the average yearly change for medical care during the 1945-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1945 (2.27%), inflation for medical care was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $24,075 beginning in 1945. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1945 | $24,075.00 | 2.82% |
| 1946 | $25,209.34 | 4.71% |
| 1947 | $27,511.87 | 9.13% |
| 1948 | $29,204.91 | 6.15% |
| 1949 | $30,153.01 | 3.25% |
| 1950 | $30,711.71 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $32,167.72 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $33,928.48 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $35,130.54 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $36,214.08 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $37,060.60 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $38,415.03 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $39,989.56 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $41,902.69 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $43,663.45 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $45,204.11 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $46,575.47 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $47,811.39 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $48,945.73 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $49,944.62 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $51,163.61 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $53,432.28 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $57,190.82 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $60,661.55 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $64,860.28 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $68,974.37 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $73,443.99 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $75,814.24 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $78,743.20 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $86,074.05 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $96,452.37 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $105,628.64 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $115,719.15 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $125,487.97 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $137,102.22 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $152,119.46 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $168,474.21 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $188,028.80 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $204,366.61 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $217,098.26 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $230,625.63 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $247,945.41 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $264,401.74 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $281,670.73 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $303,223.10 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $330,751.90 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $359,635.13 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $386,148.10 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $409,190.35 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $428,711.08 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $447,910.13 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $463,672.31 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $476,590.19 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $491,929.11 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $509,096.52 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $529,751.58 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $554,148.26 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $580,237.97 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $603,551.11 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $630,081.01 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $656,678.64 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $683,005.38 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $713,216.46 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $739,650.71 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $763,113.00 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $789,163.60 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $813,181.38 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $842,978.34 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $863,722.62 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $884,359.57 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $907,641.89 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $942,022.58 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $965,685.50 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $984,752.83 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $1,012,599.24 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $1,054,171.11 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $1,067,175.50 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $1,110,403.00 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $1,115,544.75 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $1,145,525.07 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $1,179,366.53 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $1,201,476.59 | 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 |