According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 3,812.11% higher in 2026 versus 1950 (a $18,755,593,296.58 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 $492,000,000 in the year 1950 would cost $19,247,593,296.58 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 $492,000,000 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 | $492,000,000.00 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $515,325,248.07 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $543,532,524.81 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $562,789,415.66 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $580,147,739.80 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $593,708,930.54 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $615,406,835.72 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $640,630,650.50 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $671,278,941.57 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $699,486,218.30 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $724,167,585.45 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $746,136,714.44 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $765,936,052.92 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $784,108,048.51 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $800,110,253.58 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $819,638,368.25 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $855,982,359.43 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $916,194,046.31 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $971,794,928.34 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $1,039,058,434.40 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $1,104,965,821.39 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $1,176,568,908.49 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $1,214,540,242.56 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $1,261,461,962.51 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $1,378,901,874.31 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $1,545,162,072.77 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $1,692,165,380.37 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $1,853,814,773.98 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $2,010,310,915.10 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $2,196,370,452.04 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $2,436,945,975.74 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $2,698,948,180.82 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $3,012,211,686.88 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $3,273,942,668.14 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $3,477,902,976.85 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $3,694,610,804.85 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $3,972,072,767.36 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $4,235,702,315.33 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $4,512,350,606.39 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $4,857,618,522.60 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $5,298,628,445.42 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $5,761,336,273.43 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $6,186,072,767.36 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $6,555,208,379.27 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $6,867,929,437.71 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $7,175,497,243.66 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $7,428,006,615.21 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $7,634,950,385.89 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $7,880,679,162.07 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $8,155,700,110.25 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $8,486,593,164.28 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $8,877,426,681.37 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $9,295,382,579.93 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $9,668,857,772.88 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $10,093,865,490.63 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $10,519,958,103.64 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $10,941,711,135.61 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $11,425,691,047.41 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $11,849,166,350.61 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $12,225,031,025.36 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $12,642,360,396.91 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $13,027,123,925.03 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $13,504,469,702.32 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $13,836,792,105.84 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $14,167,394,950.39 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $14,540,376,515.99 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $15,091,153,428.89 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $15,470,232,105.84 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $15,775,689,790.52 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $16,221,787,872.11 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $16,887,767,100.33 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $17,096,096,824.70 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $17,788,599,029.77 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $17,870,969,702.32 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $18,351,252,833.52 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $18,893,391,267.92 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $19,247,593,296.58 | 1.87%* |
* 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 | 591.381 |