According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 3,141.92% higher in 2026 versus 1955 (a $109,967,345,820.01 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 $3,500,000,000 in the year 1955 would cost $113,467,345,820.01 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 $3,500,000,000 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 | $3,500,000,000.00 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $3,627,912,288.72 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $3,776,610,324.35 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $3,957,286,432.16 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $4,123,572,407.49 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $4,269,072,635.91 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $4,398,583,828.23 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $4,515,303,791.69 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $4,622,430,333.49 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $4,716,765,646.41 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $4,831,886,706.26 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $5,046,139,789.86 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $5,401,096,391.05 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $5,728,871,630.88 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $6,125,399,725.90 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $6,513,933,302.88 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $6,936,043,855.64 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $7,159,890,360.90 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $7,436,500,685.24 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $8,128,825,947.92 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $9,108,953,860.21 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $9,975,559,616.26 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $10,928,506,167.20 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $11,851,073,549.57 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $12,947,921,425.31 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $14,366,148,926.45 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $15,910,689,812.70 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $17,757,423,481.04 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $19,300,365,463.68 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $20,502,740,977.62 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $21,780,264,961.17 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $23,415,943,353.13 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $24,970,077,661.03 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $26,600,959,342.17 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $28,636,363,636.36 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $31,236,180,904.52 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $33,963,910,461.40 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $36,467,793,513.02 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $38,643,901,324.81 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $40,487,437,185.93 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $42,300,593,878.48 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $43,789,173,138.42 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $45,009,136,592.05 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $46,457,743,261.76 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $48,079,031,521.24 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $50,029,693,924.17 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $52,333,714,024.67 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $54,797,624,486.07 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $56,999,314,755.60 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $59,504,796,710.83 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $62,016,674,280.49 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $64,502,969,392.42 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $67,356,100,959.34 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $69,852,549,109.18 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $72,068,325,719.51 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $74,528,542,713.57 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $76,796,779,351.30 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $79,610,801,735.95 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $81,569,890,360.90 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $83,518,841,936.96 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $85,717,622,201.92 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $88,964,531,749.66 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $91,199,255,367.75 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $92,999,972,590.22 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $95,629,785,290.09 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $99,555,829,145.73 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $100,783,962,996.80 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $104,866,363,636.36 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $105,351,950,662.40 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $108,183,289,173.14 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $111,379,273,640.93 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $113,467,345,820.01 | 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 |