According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 3,843.04% higher in 2026 versus 1949 (a $2,075,242.13 difference in value).
Between 1949 and 2026:Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 4.89% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $54,000 in the year 1949 would cost $2,129,242.13 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.45% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1949: Pricing changed by 3.25%, which is below the average yearly change for medical care during the 1949-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1949 (-0.97%), inflation for medical care was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $54,000 beginning in 1949. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | $54,000.00 | 3.25% |
| 1950 | $55,000.56 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $57,608.09 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $60,761.37 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $62,914.09 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $64,854.58 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $66,370.58 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $68,796.18 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $71,615.95 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $75,042.11 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $78,195.40 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $80,954.52 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $83,410.44 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $85,623.81 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $87,655.25 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $89,444.13 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $91,627.18 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $95,690.06 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $102,421.11 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $108,636.72 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $116,156.09 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $123,523.86 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $131,528.35 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $135,773.16 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $141,018.53 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $154,147.11 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $172,733.30 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $189,166.76 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $207,237.51 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $224,732.17 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $245,531.72 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $272,425.60 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $301,714.77 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $336,734.42 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $365,993.26 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $388,793.94 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $413,019.65 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $444,037.06 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $473,508.14 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $504,434.59 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $543,032.00 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $592,332.40 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $644,058.39 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $691,539.58 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $732,805.17 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $767,764.18 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $802,147.11 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $830,375.07 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $853,509.26 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $880,979.23 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $911,723.75 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $948,714.21 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $992,405.39 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $1,039,128.58 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $1,080,879.28 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $1,128,390.79 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $1,176,023.58 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $1,223,171.25 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $1,277,275.25 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $1,324,615.45 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $1,366,633.27 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $1,413,286.42 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $1,456,299.05 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $1,509,661.41 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $1,546,811.66 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $1,583,769.67 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $1,625,465.19 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $1,687,036.41 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $1,729,413.52 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $1,763,560.56 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $1,813,429.76 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $1,887,879.42 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $1,911,168.55 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $1,988,583.20 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $1,997,791.40 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $2,051,482.13 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $2,109,889.46 | 2.85% |
| 2026 | $2,129,242.13 | 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 |