According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 1,132.68% higher in 2026 versus 1975 (a $475,723,981,042.65 difference in value).
Between 1975 and 2026: Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 5.05% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $42,000,000,000 in the year 1975 would cost $517,723,981,042.65 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 1975: Pricing changed by 12.06%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for medical care during the 1975-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1975 (9.14%), inflation for medical care was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $42,000,000,000 beginning in 1975. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | $42,000,000,000.00 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $45,995,787,256.45 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $50,389,678,778.30 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $54,643,496,577.15 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $59,700,895,208.00 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $66,240,126,382.31 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $73,361,769,352.29 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $81,876,777,251.18 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $88,991,047,919.96 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $94,535,018,430.75 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $100,425,487,098.47 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $107,967,351,237.49 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $115,133,228,014.74 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $122,652,975,250.13 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $132,037,914,691.94 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $144,025,276,461.30 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $156,602,422,327.54 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $168,147,446,024.22 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $178,181,147,972.62 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $186,681,411,269.09 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $195,041,600,842.55 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $201,905,213,270.14 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $207,530,279,094.26 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $214,209,583,991.57 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $221,685,097,419.69 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $230,679,304,897.31 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $241,302,790,942.60 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $252,663,507,109.00 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $262,815,165,876.78 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $274,367,561,874.67 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $285,949,447,077.41 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $297,413,375,460.77 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $310,568,730,911.01 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $322,079,473,407.06 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $332,296,082,148.50 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $343,639,768,299.10 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $354,098,262,243.29 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $367,073,291,205.90 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $376,106,350,710.90 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $385,092,669,826.22 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $395,230,911,005.79 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $410,201,916,798.32 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $420,505,887,309.11 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $428,808,720,379.15 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $440,934,386,519.22 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $459,036,777,251.18 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $464,699,515,534.49 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $483,522,843,601.90 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $485,761,811,479.73 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $498,816,682,464.45 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $513,018,388,625.59 | 2.85% |
| 2026 | $517,723,981,042.65 | 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 |