According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 3,135.28% higher in 2026 versus 1955 (a $259,908,717,458.45 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 $8,289,808,707 in the year 1955 would cost $268,198,526,165.45 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 $8,289,808,707 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 | $8,289,808,707.00 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $8,592,771,108.35 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $8,944,964,899.92 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $9,372,899,291.83 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $9,766,750,413.59 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $10,111,370,145.13 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $10,418,119,576.50 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $10,694,572,767.73 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $10,948,303,778.87 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $11,171,738,549.86 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $11,444,404,711.08 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $11,951,866,733.34 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $12,792,587,397.10 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $13,568,928,550.56 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $14,508,111,994.75 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $15,428,360,288.86 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $16,428,136,213.32 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $16,958,320,415.69 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $17,613,476,608.61 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $19,253,260,605.93 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $21,574,710,006.29 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $23,627,280,275.46 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $25,884,350,165.53 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $28,069,466,485.28 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $30,667,369,076.88 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $34,026,464,701.87 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $37,684,735,698.20 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $42,058,755,367.72 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $45,713,239,334.03 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $48,561,085,906.74 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $51,586,922,890.25 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $55,461,054,597.54 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $59,142,047,773.97 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $63,004,818,391.21 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $67,825,707,602.73 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $73,983,418,410.21 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $80,444,091,619.05 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $86,374,580,625.52 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $91,528,728,478.52 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $95,895,174,088.01 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $100,189,666,127.18 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $103,715,391,072.91 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $106,604,894,975.81 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $110,035,944,171.12 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $113,875,992,608.26 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $118,496,169,228.89 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $123,953,279,483.24 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $129,789,092,739.29 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $135,003,833,072.56 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $140,938,109,109.05 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $146,887,533,265.60 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $152,776,364,941.89 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $159,534,054,914.95 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $165,446,934,231.84 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $170,695,038,299.57 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $176,522,103,516.27 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $181,894,460,038.85 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $188,559,519,257.70 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $193,199,653,526.51 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $197,815,778,025.01 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $203,023,625,963.66 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $210,713,985,689.28 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $216,006,966,062.71 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $220,271,995,008.34 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $226,500,750,498.94 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $235,799,651,224.25 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $238,708,506,850.53 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $248,377,741,241.19 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $249,527,862,257.32 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $256,233,935,011.25 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $263,803,677,830.84 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $268,198,526,165.45 | 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 |