According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 3,141.92% higher in 2026 versus 1955 (a $297,807,282,101,416.19 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 $9,478,500,000,000 in the year 1955 would cost $307,285,782,101,416.19 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 $9,478,500,000,000 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 | $9,478,500,000,000.00 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $9,824,904,751,027.87 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $10,227,600,274,097.76 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $10,716,896,984,924.62 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $11,167,223,161,260.85 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $11,561,258,565,555.05 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $11,911,993,375,970.76 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $12,228,087,711,283.69 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $12,518,201,690,269.53 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $12,773,675,194,152.58 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $13,085,439,470,077.66 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $13,665,667,428,049.34 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $14,626,940,612,151.67 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $15,514,602,786,660.58 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $16,588,457,514,846.96 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $17,640,661,946,094.10 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $18,783,797,624,486.07 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $19,390,005,938,784.84 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $20,139,106,212,882.60 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $22,014,021,927,820.92 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $24,668,348,332,571.95 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $27,015,240,520,785.75 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $29,595,955,915,943.35 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $32,094,400,182,731.84 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $35,064,820,922,795.80 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $38,905,583,599,817.27 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $43,088,420,968,478.76 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $48,089,639,561,443.58 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $52,268,146,870,717.21 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $55,524,351,530,379.16 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $58,984,068,981,269.98 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $63,413,719,735,038.83 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $67,622,537,460,027.42 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $72,039,198,035,632.72 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $77,551,363,636,363.64 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $84,592,040,201,005.02 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $91,979,121,516,674.28 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $98,759,994,518,044.78 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $104,653,205,344,906.34 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $109,645,763,819,095.44 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $114,556,051,164,915.48 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $118,587,336,455,002.28 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $121,891,171,767,930.56 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $125,814,205,573,321.14 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $130,204,885,792,599.36 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $135,487,558,245,774.31 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $141,727,173,823,663.78 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $148,399,795,340,338.03 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $154,362,287,117,405.22 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $161,147,490,178,163.53 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $167,950,013,476,473.25 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $174,683,255,824,577.44 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $182,409,943,698,035.59 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $189,170,681,923,252.63 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $195,171,321,523,526.75 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $201,833,940,603,015.03 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $207,976,649,451,804.47 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $215,597,424,072,635.88 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $220,902,915,938,784.81 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $226,180,955,228,414.81 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $232,135,566,297,396.03 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $240,928,661,196,893.59 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $246,980,612,000,913.69 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $251,857,211,484,696.19 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $258,979,119,963,453.59 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $269,611,407,587,939.69 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $272,937,369,504,339.88 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $283,993,093,636,363.63 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $285,308,132,672,453.19 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $292,975,801,836,455.00 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $301,630,984,344,449.50 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $307,285,782,101,416.19 | 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 |