Medical care services priced at $6 in 1976 $60.61 in 2018

Medical Care Services Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Medical Care Services, 1976-2018 ($6)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care services were 910.12% higher in 2018 versus 1976 (a $54.61 difference in value).

Between 1976 and 2018: Medical care services experienced an average inflation rate of 5.66% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care services costing $6 in the year 1976 would cost $60.61 in 2018 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.60% during this same period, inflation for medical care services was higher.

In the year 1976: Pricing changed by 10.02%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for medical care services during the 1976-2018 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1976 (5.75%), inflation for medical care services was much higher.

Price Inflation for Medical care services since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1975 (12.60%), 1982 (11.86%), and 1980 (11.28%).

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Buying power of $6.00 since 1976

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care services, over time, for $6 beginning in 1976. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1976$6.0010.02%
1977$6.609.93%
1978$7.178.65%
1979$7.869.72%
1980$8.7511.28%
1981$9.6910.72%
1982$10.8411.86%
1983$11.788.73%
1984$12.496.01%
1985$13.256.04%
1986$14.277.71%
1987$15.216.60%
1988$16.196.45%
1989$17.437.63%
1990$19.049.26%
1991$20.738.86%
1992$22.307.59%
1993$23.756.50%
1994$24.985.17%
1995$26.245.05%
1996$27.203.67%
1997$27.982.87%
1998$28.893.23%
1999$29.853.35%
2000$31.144.29%
2001$32.634.79%
2002$34.285.07%
2003$35.814.47%
2004$37.615.02%
2005$39.414.78%
2006$41.044.14%
2007$43.235.33%
2008$45.064.24%
2009$46.503.21%
2010$48.133.50%
2011$49.613.06%
2012$51.543.90%
2013$53.143.10%
2014$54.402.38%
2015$55.732.45%
2016$57.913.91%
2017$59.322.43%
2018$60.612.17%
2019$62.753.54%
2020$65.864.94%
2021$67.081.86%
2022$69.964.29%
2023$69.72-0.35%
2024$70.841.61%*

* 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 services:

Year193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI8.2758.3178.4008.4008.4808.5008.5208.7609.2409.6209.88010.48011.38012.14012.54012.84013.48014.36014.84015.28015.76016.31517.01517.86218.72319.49220.20820.87721.49222.01522.70023.92326.00827.92330.17732.32334.67735.93837.53841.37746.59251.26256.35461.23167.18574.76282.77792.592100.677106.731113.177121.908129.954138.338148.892162.677177.085190.523202.915213.415224.185232.408239.077246.800255.062266.015278.762292.885305.969321.331336.677350.615369.302384.943397.299411.208423.810440.341454.007464.798476.171494.766506.804517.805536.142562.650573.096597.710595.636605.209

Adjust medical care services prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2018 / CPI in 1976 * 1976 USD value = 2018 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Medical care services was 51.262 in the year 1976 and 517.805 in 2018:

517.805 / 51.262 * $6 = $60.61

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $6 in 1976 has the same "purchasing power" as $60.61 in 2018 (in the CPI category of Medical care services).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Medical care services in 1935. In addition to medical care services, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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