According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 4,838.51% higher in 2026 versus 1945 (a $362,887,974,683.54 difference in value).
Between 1945 and 2026: Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 4.93% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $7,500,000,000 in the year 1945 would cost $370,387,974,683.54 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.63% 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 $7,500,000,000 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 | $7,500,000,000.00 | 2.82% |
| 1946 | $7,853,375,527.43 | 4.71% |
| 1947 | $8,570,675,105.49 | 9.13% |
| 1948 | $9,098,101,265.82 | 6.15% |
| 1949 | $9,393,459,915.61 | 3.25% |
| 1950 | $9,567,510,548.52 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $10,021,097,046.41 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $10,569,620,253.16 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $10,944,092,827.00 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $11,281,645,569.62 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $11,545,358,649.79 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $11,967,299,578.06 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $12,457,805,907.17 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $13,053,797,468.35 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $13,602,320,675.11 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $14,082,278,481.01 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $14,509,493,670.89 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $14,894,514,767.93 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $15,247,890,295.36 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $15,559,071,729.96 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $15,938,818,565.40 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $16,645,569,620.25 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $17,816,455,696.20 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $18,897,679,324.89 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $20,205,696,202.53 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $21,487,341,772.15 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $22,879,746,835.44 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $23,618,143,459.92 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $24,530,590,717.30 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $26,814,345,991.56 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $30,047,468,354.43 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $32,906,118,143.46 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $36,049,578,059.07 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $39,092,827,004.22 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $42,710,970,464.14 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $47,389,240,506.33 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $52,484,177,215.19 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $58,575,949,367.09 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $63,665,611,814.35 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $67,631,856,540.08 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $71,845,991,561.18 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $77,241,561,181.43 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $82,368,143,459.92 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $87,747,890,295.36 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $94,462,025,316.46 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $103,037,974,683.54 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $112,035,864,978.90 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $120,295,358,649.79 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $127,473,628,691.98 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $133,554,852,320.68 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $139,535,864,978.90 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $144,446,202,531.65 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $148,470,464,135.02 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $153,248,945,147.68 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $158,597,046,413.50 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $165,031,645,569.62 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $172,631,856,540.08 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $180,759,493,670.89 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $188,022,151,898.73 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $196,286,919,831.22 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $204,572,784,810.13 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $212,774,261,603.38 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $222,185,812,236.29 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $230,420,780,590.72 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $237,729,905,063.29 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $245,845,358,649.79 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $253,327,531,645.57 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $262,610,073,839.66 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $269,072,468,354.43 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $275,501,424,050.63 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $282,754,483,122.36 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $293,464,978,902.95 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $300,836,603,375.53 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $306,776,582,278.48 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $315,451,476,793.25 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $328,402,215,189.87 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $332,453,428,270.04 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $345,919,936,708.86 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $347,521,729,957.81 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $356,861,392,405.06 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $367,021,518,987.34 | 2.85% |
| 2026 | $370,387,974,683.54 | 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 |