According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 3,804.09% higher in 2026 versus 1950 (a $41,845,042,998.90 difference in value).
Between 1950 and 2026:Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 4.94% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $1,100,000,000 in the year 1950 would cost $42,945,042,998.90 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.49% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1950: Pricing changed by 1.85%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for medical care during the 1950-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1950 (1.09%), inflation for medical care was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $1,100,000,000 beginning in 1950. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | $1,100,000,000.00 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $1,152,149,944.87 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $1,215,214,994.49 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $1,258,269,018.74 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $1,297,078,280.04 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $1,327,398,015.44 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $1,375,909,592.06 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $1,432,304,299.89 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $1,500,826,901.87 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $1,563,891,951.49 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $1,619,073,869.90 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $1,668,191,841.23 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $1,712,458,654.91 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $1,753,087,100.33 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $1,788,864,388.09 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $1,832,524,807.06 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $1,913,781,697.91 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $2,048,401,323.04 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $2,172,712,238.15 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $2,323,098,125.69 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $2,470,452,039.69 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $2,630,540,242.56 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $2,715,435,501.65 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $2,820,341,786.11 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $3,082,910,694.60 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $3,454,630,650.50 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $3,783,296,582.14 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $4,144,707,828.00 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $4,494,597,574.42 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $4,910,584,343.99 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $5,448,456,449.83 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $6,034,233,737.60 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $6,734,619,625.14 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $7,319,790,518.19 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $7,775,799,338.48 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $8,260,308,710.03 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $8,880,650,496.14 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $9,470,066,152.15 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $10,088,588,754.13 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $10,860,529,217.20 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $11,846,527,012.13 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $12,881,036,383.68 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $13,830,650,496.14 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $14,655,953,693.50 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $15,355,126,791.62 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $16,042,778,390.30 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $16,607,331,863.29 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $17,070,011,025.36 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $17,619,404,630.65 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $18,234,288,864.39 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $18,974,090,407.94 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $19,847,905,181.92 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $20,782,359,426.68 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $21,617,364,939.36 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $22,567,585,446.53 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $23,520,231,532.52 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $24,463,175,303.20 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $25,545,244,211.69 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $26,492,038,588.75 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $27,332,386,438.81 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $28,265,439,911.80 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $29,125,683,572.22 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $30,192,920,066.15 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $30,935,917,309.81 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $31,675,070,011.03 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $32,508,971,885.34 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $33,740,383,682.47 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $34,587,917,309.81 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $35,270,851,157.66 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $36,268,224,917.31 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $37,757,202,866.59 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $38,222,980,705.62 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $39,771,257,993.38 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $39,955,420,066.15 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $41,029,223,814.77 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $42,241,321,940.46 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $42,945,042,998.90 | 1.67%* |
* 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 | 590.169 |