According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 2,557.89% higher in 2026 versus 1960 (a $7,550,897,582.02 difference in value).
Between 1960 and 2026:Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 5.10% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $295,200,000 in the year 1960 would cost $7,846,097,582.02 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.70% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1960: Pricing changed by 3.53%, which is below the average yearly change for medical care during the 1960-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1960 (1.46%), inflation for medical care was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $295,200,000 beginning in 1960. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | $295,200,000.00 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $304,155,505.62 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $312,226,516.85 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $319,634,157.30 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $326,157,303.37 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $334,117,752.81 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $348,933,033.71 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $373,477,752.81 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $396,142,921.35 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $423,562,247.19 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $450,428,764.04 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $479,617,078.65 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $495,095,730.34 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $514,222,921.35 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $562,096,179.78 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $629,870,561.80 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $689,795,056.18 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $755,689,887.64 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $819,484,044.94 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $895,329,438.20 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $993,397,752.81 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $1,100,200,449.44 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $1,227,899,325.84 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $1,334,591,460.67 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $1,417,733,932.58 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $1,506,072,808.99 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $1,619,177,528.09 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $1,726,643,595.51 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $1,839,416,629.21 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $1,980,161,797.75 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $2,159,935,280.90 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $2,348,553,707.87 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $2,521,693,483.15 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $2,672,168,089.89 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $2,799,645,842.70 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $2,925,022,921.35 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $3,027,955,955.06 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $3,112,314,606.74 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $3,212,483,595.51 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $3,324,593,258.43 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $3,459,478,651.69 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $3,618,798,202.25 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $3,789,173,932.58 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $3,941,417,528.09 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $4,114,667,865.17 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $4,288,360,449.44 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $4,460,284,044.94 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $4,657,573,833.71 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $4,830,199,496.63 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $4,983,417,141.57 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $5,153,537,474.16 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $5,310,382,651.69 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $5,504,968,098.88 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $5,640,436,152.81 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $5,775,203,244.94 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $5,927,245,617.98 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $6,151,764,566.29 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $6,306,292,368.54 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $6,430,809,276.40 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $6,612,656,898.88 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $6,884,136,970.79 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $6,969,060,593.26 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $7,251,352,503.37 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $7,284,930,121.35 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $7,480,712,952.81 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $7,701,710,507.87 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $7,846,097,582.02 | 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 |