According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 4,838.51% higher in 2026 versus 1945 (a $44,307,619,799.36 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 $915,729,293 in the year 1945 would cost $45,223,349,092.36 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 $915,729,293 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 | $915,729,293.00 | 2.82% |
| 1946 | $958,875,469.25 | 4.71% |
| 1947 | $1,046,455,767.32 | 9.13% |
| 1948 | $1,110,853,045.31 | 6.15% |
| 1949 | $1,146,915,520.98 | 3.25% |
| 1950 | $1,168,166,622.72 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $1,223,548,281.79 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $1,290,521,450.89 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $1,336,243,518.27 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $1,377,457,776.18 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $1,409,656,415.17 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $1,461,174,237.56 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $1,521,063,706.09 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $1,593,832,630.22 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $1,660,805,799.33 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $1,719,407,322.30 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $1,771,569,117.47 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $1,818,579,130.40 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $1,861,725,306.65 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $1,899,719,700.67 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $1,946,085,740.82 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $2,032,378,093.32 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $2,175,340,050.46 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $2,307,354,470.34 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $2,467,059,719.75 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $2,623,545,105.26 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $2,793,553,919.15 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $2,883,710,108.34 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $2,995,117,399.26 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $3,273,957,612.95 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $3,668,712,927.02 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $4,017,746,173.72 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $4,401,553,950.53 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $4,773,126,244.53 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $5,214,891,571.53 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $5,786,095,427.29 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $6,408,173,132.66 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $7,151,961,693.43 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $7,773,395,426.02 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $8,257,662,956.50 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $8,772,197,207.63 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $9,430,981,361.45 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $10,056,922,903.50 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $10,713,775,138.99 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $11,533,552,487.78 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $12,580,652,227.88 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $13,679,269,790.37 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $14,687,731,163.67 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $15,564,178,117.10 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $16,306,678,732.31 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $17,036,943,864.70 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $17,636,482,522.78 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $18,127,833,753.83 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $18,711,273,092.41 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $19,364,261,491.22 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $20,149,908,282.68 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $21,077,873,058.50 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $22,070,235,112.30 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $22,956,985,630.21 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $23,966,090,976.29 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $24,977,772,213.50 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $25,979,149,886.22 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $27,128,274,233.84 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $28,133,741,133.71 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $29,026,165,051.81 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $30,017,039,528.49 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $30,930,592,193.50 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $32,063,964,966.92 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $32,853,005,494.93 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $33,637,963,235.52 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $34,523,541,722.96 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $35,831,263,686.81 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $36,731,318,682.35 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $37,456,573,706.51 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $38,515,754,375.96 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $40,097,003,778.06 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $40,591,645,710.02 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $42,235,869,210.27 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $42,431,443,743.52 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $43,571,790,742.14 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $44,812,314,146.41 | 2.85% |
| 2026 | $45,223,349,092.36 | 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 |