According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 2,557.89% higher in 2026 versus 1960 (a $818,525,483,146.07 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 $32,000,000,000 in the year 1960 would cost $850,525,483,146.07 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 $32,000,000,000 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 | $32,000,000,000.00 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $32,970,786,516.85 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $33,845,692,883.90 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $34,648,689,138.58 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $35,355,805,243.45 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $36,218,726,591.76 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $37,824,719,101.12 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $40,485,393,258.43 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $42,942,322,097.38 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $45,914,606,741.57 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $48,826,966,292.13 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $51,991,011,235.96 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $53,668,913,857.68 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $55,742,322,097.38 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $60,931,835,205.99 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $68,278,651,685.39 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $74,774,531,835.21 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $81,917,602,996.25 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $88,832,958,801.50 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $97,054,681,647.94 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $107,685,393,258.43 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $119,262,921,348.31 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $133,105,617,977.53 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $144,671,161,048.69 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $153,683,895,131.09 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $163,259,925,093.63 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $175,520,599,250.94 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $187,170,037,453.18 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $199,394,756,554.31 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $214,651,685,393.26 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $234,139,325,842.70 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $254,585,767,790.26 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $273,354,307,116.10 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $289,665,917,603.00 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $303,484,644,194.76 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $317,075,655,430.71 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $328,233,707,865.17 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $337,378,277,153.56 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $348,236,704,119.85 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $360,389,513,108.61 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $375,011,235,955.06 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $392,281,647,940.07 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $410,750,561,797.75 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $427,253,932,584.27 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $446,034,456,928.84 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $464,862,921,348.31 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $483,499,625,468.16 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $504,886,052,434.46 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $523,598,861,423.22 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $540,207,820,224.72 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $558,649,048,689.14 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $575,651,235,955.06 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $596,744,509,363.30 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $611,429,393,258.43 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $626,038,292,134.83 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $642,519,850,187.27 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $666,857,947,565.54 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $683,608,928,838.95 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $697,106,696,629.21 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $716,819,176,029.96 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $746,247,910,112.36 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $755,453,722,846.44 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $786,054,471,910.11 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $789,694,322,097.38 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $810,917,393,258.43 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $834,873,767,790.26 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $850,525,483,146.07 | 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 |