According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 3,812.11% higher in 2026 versus 1950 (a $372,157,478.78 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 $9,762,500 in the year 1950 would cost $381,919,978.78 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 $9,762,500 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 | $9,762,500.00 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $10,225,330.76 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $10,785,033.08 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $11,167,137.54 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $11,511,569.74 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $11,780,657.39 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $12,211,197.63 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $12,711,700.66 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $13,319,838.75 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $13,879,541.07 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $14,369,280.60 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $14,805,202.59 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $15,198,070.56 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $15,558,648.02 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $15,876,171.44 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $16,263,657.66 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $16,984,812.57 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $18,179,561.74 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $19,282,821.11 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $20,617,495.87 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $21,925,261.85 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $23,346,044.65 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $24,099,490.08 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $25,030,533.35 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $27,360,832.41 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $30,659,847.02 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $33,576,757.17 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $36,784,281.97 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $39,889,553.47 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $43,581,436.05 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $48,355,050.99 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $53,553,824.42 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $59,769,749.17 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $64,963,140.85 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $69,010,219.13 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $73,310,239.80 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $78,815,773.15 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $84,046,837.10 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $89,536,225.19 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $96,387,196.80 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $105,137,927.23 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $114,319,197.91 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $122,747,023.15 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $130,071,589.03 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $136,276,750.28 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $142,379,658.21 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $147,390,070.29 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $151,496,347.85 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $156,372,216.10 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $161,829,313.67 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $168,395,052.37 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $176,150,158.49 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $184,443,439.91 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $191,854,113.84 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $200,287,320.84 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $208,742,054.85 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $217,110,680.82 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $226,714,042.38 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $235,116,842.48 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $242,574,929.64 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $250,855,779.22 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $258,490,441.70 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $267,962,165.59 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $274,556,266.12 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $281,116,246.35 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $288,517,125.48 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $299,445,905.18 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $306,967,766.12 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $313,028,804.02 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $321,880,496.14 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $335,095,175.44 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $339,228,953.76 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $352,969,914.69 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $354,604,353.09 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $364,134,361.36 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $374,891,732.22 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $381,919,978.78 | 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 |