According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 3,108.11% higher in 2026 versus 1955 (a $192,702,910,918.23 difference in value).
Between 1955 and 2026:Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 5.01% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $6,200,000,000 in the year 1955 would cost $198,902,910,918.23 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.57% 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 $6,200,000,000 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 | $6,200,000,000.00 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $6,426,587,482.87 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $6,689,995,431.70 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $7,010,050,251.26 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $7,304,613,978.99 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $7,562,357,240.75 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $7,791,777,067.15 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $7,998,538,145.27 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $8,188,305,162.17 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $8,355,413,430.79 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $8,559,342,165.37 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $8,938,876,199.18 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $9,567,656,464.14 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $10,148,286,888.99 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $10,850,708,085.88 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $11,538,967,565.10 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $12,286,706,258.57 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $12,683,234,353.59 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $13,173,229,785.29 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $14,399,634,536.32 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $16,135,861,123.80 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $17,670,991,320.24 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $19,359,068,067.61 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $20,993,330,287.80 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $22,936,317,953.40 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $25,448,606,669.71 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $28,184,650,525.35 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $31,456,007,309.27 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $34,189,218,821.38 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $36,319,141,160.35 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $38,582,183,645.50 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $41,479,671,082.69 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $44,232,708,999.54 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $47,121,699,406.12 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $50,727,272,727.27 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $55,332,663,316.58 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $60,164,641,388.76 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $64,600,091,365.92 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $68,454,910,918.23 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $71,720,603,015.08 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $74,932,480,584.74 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $77,569,392,416.63 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $79,730,470,534.49 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $82,296,573,777.98 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $85,168,570,123.34 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $88,624,029,237.09 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $92,705,436,272.27 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $97,070,077,661.03 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $100,970,214,709.91 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $105,408,497,030.61 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $109,858,108,725.45 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $114,262,402,923.71 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $119,316,521,699.41 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $123,738,801,279.12 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $127,663,891,274.55 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $132,021,989,949.75 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $136,040,009,136.59 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $141,024,848,789.40 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $144,495,234,353.59 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $147,947,662,859.75 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $151,842,645,043.40 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $157,594,313,385.11 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $161,552,966,651.44 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $164,742,808,588.40 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $169,401,333,942.44 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $176,356,040,201.01 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $178,531,591,594.34 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $185,763,272,727.27 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $186,623,455,459.11 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $191,638,969,392.42 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $197,095,082,686.16 | 2.85% |
| 2026 | $198,902,910,918.23 | 0.92%* |
* 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 | 579.894 | 585.213 |