According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 3,135.28% higher in 2026 versus 1955 (a $143,909,353,677.48 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 $4,590,000,000 in the year 1955 would cost $148,499,353,677.48 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 $4,590,000,000 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 | $4,590,000,000.00 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $4,757,747,830.06 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $4,952,754,682.50 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $5,189,698,492.46 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $5,407,770,671.54 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $5,598,583,828.23 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $5,768,428,506.17 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $5,921,498,401.10 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $6,061,987,208.77 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $6,185,701,233.44 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $6,336,674,280.49 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $6,617,651,895.84 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $7,083,152,124.26 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $7,513,005,938.78 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $8,033,024,211.97 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $8,542,558,245.77 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $9,096,126,084.97 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $9,389,684,787.57 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $9,752,439,470.08 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $10,660,374,600.27 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $11,945,742,348.10 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $13,082,233,896.76 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $14,331,955,230.70 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $15,541,836,455.00 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $16,980,274,097.76 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $18,840,178,163.55 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $20,865,733,211.51 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $23,287,592,507.99 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $25,311,050,708.09 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $26,887,880,310.64 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $28,563,261,763.36 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $30,708,337,140.25 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $32,746,473,275.47 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $34,885,258,108.73 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $37,554,545,454.55 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $40,964,020,100.50 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $44,541,242,576.52 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $47,824,906,349.93 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $50,678,716,308.82 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $53,096,381,909.55 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $55,474,207,400.64 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $57,426,372,772.96 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $59,026,267,702.15 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $60,926,011,877.57 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $63,052,215,623.57 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $65,610,370,031.98 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $68,631,927,820.92 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $71,863,170,397.44 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $74,750,529,922.34 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $78,036,290,543.63 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $81,330,438,556.42 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $84,591,037,003.20 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $88,332,715,258.11 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $91,606,628,688.90 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $94,512,461,443.58 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $97,738,860,301.51 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $100,713,490,634.99 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $104,403,879,990.86 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $106,973,084,787.57 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $109,528,995,568.75 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $112,412,538,830.52 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $116,670,628,780.26 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $119,601,309,182.28 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $121,962,821,196.89 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $125,411,632,709.00 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $130,560,358,793.97 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $132,170,968,615.81 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $137,524,745,454.55 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $138,161,558,154.41 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $141,874,656,372.77 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $146,065,961,717.68 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $148,499,353,677.48 | 1.67%* |
* 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 | 590.169 |