According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 3,141.92% higher in 2026 versus 1955 (a $8,231,841.32 difference in value).
Between 1955 and 2026:Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 5.02% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $262,000 in the year 1955 would cost $8,493,841.32 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.58% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1955: Pricing changed by 2.34%, which is below the average yearly change for medical care during the 1955-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1955 (-0.28%), inflation for medical care was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $262,000 beginning in 1955. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 | $262,000.00 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $271,575.15 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $282,706.26 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $296,231.16 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $308,678.85 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $319,570.58 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $329,265.42 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $338,002.74 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $346,021.93 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $353,083.60 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $361,701.23 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $377,739.61 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $404,310.64 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $428,846.96 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $458,529.92 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $487,614.44 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $519,212.43 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $535,968.94 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $556,675.19 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $608,500.69 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $681,870.26 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $746,741.89 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $818,076.75 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $887,137.51 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $969,244.40 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $1,075,408.86 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $1,191,028.78 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $1,329,269.99 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $1,444,770.21 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $1,534,776.61 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $1,630,408.41 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $1,752,850.62 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $1,869,188.67 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $1,991,271.81 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $2,143,636.36 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $2,338,251.26 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $2,542,441.30 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $2,729,874.83 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $2,892,772.04 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $3,030,773.87 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $3,166,501.60 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $3,277,932.39 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $3,369,255.37 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $3,477,693.92 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $3,599,058.93 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $3,745,079.95 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $3,917,552.31 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $4,101,993.60 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $4,266,805.85 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $4,454,359.07 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $4,642,391.05 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $4,828,507.99 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $5,042,085.27 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $5,228,962.25 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $5,394,828.95 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $5,578,993.77 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $5,748,787.48 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $5,959,437.16 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $6,106,088.94 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $6,251,981.88 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $6,416,576.29 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $6,659,630.66 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $6,826,915.69 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $6,961,712.23 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $7,158,572.50 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $7,452,464.92 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $7,544,399.52 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $7,849,996.36 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $7,886,346.02 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $8,098,291.93 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $8,337,534.20 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $8,493,841.32 | 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 |