According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 5,697.85% higher in 2026 versus 1935 (a $66,095,094,117.65 difference in value).
Between 1935 and 2026:Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 4.56% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $1,160,000,000 in the year 1935 would cost $67,255,094,117.65 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.54% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $1,160,000,000 beginning in 1935. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1935 | $1,160,000,000.00 | - |
| 1936 | $1,160,000,000.00 | 0.00% ** |
| 1937 | $1,169,477,124.18 | 0.82% |
| 1938 | $1,171,372,549.02 | 0.16% |
| 1939 | $1,178,006,535.95 | 0.57% |
| 1940 | $1,177,058,823.53 | -0.08% |
| 1941 | $1,183,692,810.46 | 0.56% |
| 1942 | $1,214,967,320.26 | 2.64% |
| 1943 | $1,272,777,777.78 | 4.76% |
| 1944 | $1,310,686,274.51 | 2.98% |
| 1945 | $1,347,647,058.82 | 2.82% |
| 1946 | $1,411,143,790.85 | 4.71% |
| 1947 | $1,540,032,679.74 | 9.13% |
| 1948 | $1,634,803,921.57 | 6.15% |
| 1949 | $1,687,875,816.99 | 3.25% |
| 1950 | $1,719,150,326.80 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $1,800,653,594.77 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $1,899,215,686.27 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $1,966,503,267.97 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $2,027,156,862.75 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $2,074,542,483.66 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $2,150,359,477.12 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $2,238,496,732.03 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $2,345,588,235.29 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $2,444,150,326.80 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $2,530,392,156.86 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $2,607,156,862.75 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $2,676,339,869.28 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $2,739,836,601.31 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $2,795,751,633.99 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $2,863,986,928.10 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $2,990,980,392.16 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $3,201,372,549.02 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $3,395,653,594.77 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $3,630,686,274.51 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $3,860,980,392.16 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $4,111,176,470.59 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $4,243,856,209.15 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $4,407,810,457.52 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $4,818,169,934.64 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $5,399,117,647.06 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $5,912,777,777.78 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $6,477,614,379.08 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $7,024,444,444.44 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $7,674,575,163.40 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $8,515,196,078.43 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $9,430,686,274.51 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $10,525,294,117.65 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $11,439,836,601.31 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $12,152,516,339.87 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $12,909,738,562.09 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $13,879,248,366.01 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $14,800,424,836.60 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $15,767,091,503.27 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $16,973,529,411.76 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $18,514,509,803.92 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $20,131,307,189.54 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $21,615,424,836.60 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $22,905,261,437.91 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $23,997,973,856.21 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $25,072,679,738.56 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $25,955,000,000.00 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $26,678,104,575.16 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $27,536,732,026.14 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $28,497,712,418.30 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $29,653,921,568.63 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $31,019,575,163.40 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $32,480,000,000.00 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $33,785,000,000.00 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $35,270,065,359.48 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $36,758,921,568.63 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $38,232,614,379.08 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $39,923,740,849.67 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $41,403,451,633.99 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $42,716,800,980.39 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $44,175,036,601.31 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $45,519,480,392.16 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $47,187,425,816.99 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $48,348,629,411.76 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $49,503,824,509.80 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $50,807,099,673.20 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $52,731,628,758.17 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $54,056,208,496.73 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $55,123,541,176.47 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $56,682,300,653.59 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $59,009,370,588.24 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $59,737,317,973.86 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $62,157,064,705.88 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $62,444,884,967.32 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $64,123,094,117.65 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $66,017,438,562.09 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $67,255,094,117.65 | 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 |