According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 3,141.92% higher in 2026 versus 1955 (a $879,738,766,560.07 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 $28,000,000,000 in the year 1955 would cost $907,738,766,560.07 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 $28,000,000,000 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 | $28,000,000,000.00 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $29,023,298,309.73 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $30,212,882,594.79 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $31,658,291,457.29 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $32,988,579,259.94 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $34,152,581,087.25 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $35,188,670,625.86 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $36,122,430,333.49 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $36,979,442,667.88 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $37,734,125,171.31 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $38,655,093,650.07 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $40,369,118,318.87 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $43,208,771,128.37 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $45,830,973,047.05 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $49,003,197,807.22 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $52,111,466,423.02 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $55,488,350,845.13 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $57,279,122,887.16 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $59,492,005,481.96 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $65,030,607,583.37 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $72,871,630,881.68 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $79,804,476,930.11 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $87,428,049,337.60 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $94,808,588,396.53 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $103,583,371,402.47 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $114,929,191,411.60 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $127,285,518,501.60 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $142,059,387,848.33 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $154,402,923,709.46 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $164,021,927,820.92 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $174,242,119,689.36 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $187,327,546,825.03 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $199,760,621,288.26 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $212,807,674,737.32 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $229,090,909,090.91 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $249,889,447,236.18 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $271,711,283,691.18 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $291,742,348,104.16 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $309,151,210,598.45 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $323,899,497,487.44 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $338,404,751,027.87 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $350,313,385,107.35 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $360,073,092,736.41 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $371,661,946,094.11 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $384,632,252,169.94 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $400,237,551,393.33 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $418,669,712,197.35 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $438,380,995,888.53 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $455,994,518,044.77 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $476,038,373,686.61 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $496,133,394,243.95 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $516,023,755,139.33 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $538,848,807,674.74 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $558,820,392,873.46 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $576,546,605,756.05 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $596,228,341,708.54 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $614,374,234,810.42 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $636,886,413,887.62 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $652,559,122,887.16 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $668,150,735,495.66 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $685,740,977,615.35 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $711,716,253,997.26 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $729,594,042,941.98 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $743,999,780,721.79 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $765,038,282,320.69 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $796,446,633,165.83 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $806,271,703,974.42 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $838,930,909,090.91 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $842,815,605,299.22 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $865,466,313,385.11 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $891,034,189,127.46 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $907,738,766,560.07 | 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 |