According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 5,616.69% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $144,910,897,870.87 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2026:Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 4.82% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $2,580,006,000 in the year 1940 would cost $147,490,903,870.87 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.74% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1940: Pricing changed by -0.08%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for medical care during the 1940-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1940 (0.72%), inflation for medical care was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $2,580,006,000 beginning in 1940. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | $2,580,006,000.00 | -0.08% |
| 1941 | $2,594,547,096.62 | 0.56% |
| 1942 | $2,663,097,980.68 | 2.64% |
| 1943 | $2,789,813,251.21 | 4.76% |
| 1944 | $2,872,905,231.88 | 2.98% |
| 1945 | $2,953,919,913.04 | 2.82% |
| 1946 | $3,093,098,980.68 | 4.71% |
| 1947 | $3,375,611,714.98 | 9.13% |
| 1948 | $3,583,341,666.67 | 6.15% |
| 1949 | $3,699,670,439.61 | 3.25% |
| 1950 | $3,768,221,323.67 | 1.85% |
| 1951 | $3,946,869,082.13 | 4.74% |
| 1952 | $4,162,908,231.88 | 5.47% |
| 1953 | $4,310,396,497.58 | 3.54% |
| 1954 | $4,443,343,666.67 | 3.08% |
| 1955 | $4,547,208,642.51 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $4,713,392,603.86 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $4,906,581,458.94 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $5,141,316,304.35 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $5,357,355,454.11 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $5,546,389,710.14 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $5,714,650,971.01 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $5,866,293,835.75 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $6,005,472,903.38 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $6,128,033,574.88 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $6,277,599,140.10 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $6,555,957,275.36 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $7,017,117,768.12 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $7,442,964,169.08 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $7,958,134,449.28 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $8,462,918,231.88 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $9,011,325,304.35 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $9,302,147,236.71 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $9,661,520,053.14 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $10,560,990,743.96 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $11,834,375,347.83 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $12,960,271,685.99 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $14,198,342,198.07 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $15,396,944,019.32 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $16,821,971,487.92 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $18,664,536,159.42 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $20,671,207,492.75 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $23,070,488,434.78 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $25,075,082,468.60 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $26,637,211,705.31 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $28,296,974,019.32 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $30,422,051,425.12 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $32,441,186,555.56 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $34,560,032,062.80 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $37,204,434,347.83 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $40,582,123,362.32 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $44,125,996,338.16 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $47,379,047,381.64 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $50,206,252,024.15 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $52,601,378,367.15 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $54,957,036,019.32 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $56,891,001,869.57 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $58,475,981,400.97 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $60,358,014,763.29 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $62,464,396,473.43 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $64,998,701,884.06 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $67,992,090,487.92 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $71,193,209,043.48 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $74,053,650,478.26 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $77,308,778,821.26 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $80,572,216,362.32 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $83,802,417,111.11 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $87,509,212,688.07 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $90,752,604,288.79 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $93,631,346,732.32 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $96,827,666,725.99 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $99,774,565,366.67 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $103,430,550,197.44 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $105,975,802,976.52 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $108,507,885,676.67 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $111,364,546,426.33 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $115,582,939,328.31 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $118,486,297,771.11 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $120,825,794,033.04 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $124,242,453,186.47 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $129,343,179,058.26 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $130,938,773,590.19 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $136,242,638,581.74 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $136,873,514,445.02 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $140,551,996,429.57 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $144,704,227,341.93 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $147,490,903,870.87 | 1.93%* |
* 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 | 591.677 |