According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 3,804.09% higher in 2026 versus 1950 (a $1,293,392,238,147.74 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 $34,000,000,000 in the year 1950 would cost $1,327,392,238,147.74 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 $34,000,000,000 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 | $34,000,000,000.00 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $35,611,907,386.99 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $37,561,190,738.70 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $38,891,951,488.42 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $40,091,510,474.09 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $41,028,665,931.64 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $42,528,114,663.73 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $44,271,223,814.77 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $46,389,195,148.84 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $48,338,478,500.55 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $50,044,101,433.30 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $51,562,293,274.53 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $52,930,540,242.56 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $54,186,328,555.68 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $55,292,171,995.59 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $56,641,675,854.47 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $59,153,252,480.71 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $63,314,222,712.24 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $67,156,560,088.20 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $71,804,851,157.66 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $76,359,426,681.37 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $81,307,607,497.24 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $83,931,642,778.39 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $87,174,200,661.52 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $95,289,966,923.93 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $106,779,492,833.52 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $116,938,257,993.38 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $128,109,151,047.41 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $138,923,925,027.56 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $151,781,697,905.18 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $168,406,835,722.16 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $186,512,679,162.07 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $208,160,970,231.53 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $226,248,070,562.29 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $240,342,888,643.88 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $255,318,632,855.57 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $274,492,833,517.09 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $292,711,135,611.91 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $311,829,106,945.98 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $335,689,084,895.26 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $366,165,380,374.86 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $398,141,124,586.55 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $427,492,833,517.09 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $453,002,205,071.66 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $474,613,009,922.82 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $495,867,695,700.11 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $513,317,530,319.74 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $527,618,522,601.98 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $544,599,779,492.83 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $563,605,292,172.00 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $586,471,885,336.27 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $613,480,705,622.93 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $642,363,836,824.70 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $668,173,098,125.69 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $697,543,550,165.38 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $726,988,974,641.68 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $756,134,509,371.55 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $789,580,275,633.96 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $818,844,829,106.95 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $844,819,217,199.56 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $873,659,051,819.18 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $900,248,401,323.04 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $933,235,711,135.61 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $956,201,080,485.12 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $979,047,618,522.60 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $1,004,822,767,364.94 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $1,042,884,586,549.06 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $1,069,081,080,485.12 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $1,090,189,944,873.21 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $1,121,017,861,080.49 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $1,167,040,815,876.52 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $1,181,437,585,446.53 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $1,229,293,428,886.44 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $1,234,985,711,135.61 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $1,268,176,008,820.29 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $1,305,640,859,977.95 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $1,327,392,238,147.74 | 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 |