According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 3,108.11% higher in 2026 versus 1955 (a $469,414,966,662.40 difference in value).
Between 1955 and 2026: Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 5.01% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $15,102,900,000 in the year 1955 would cost $484,517,866,662.40 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.57% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1955: Pricing changed by 2.34%, which is below the average yearly change for medical care during the 1955-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1955 (-0.28%), inflation for medical care was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $15,102,900,000 beginning in 1955. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 | $15,102,900,000.00 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $15,654,856,144.36 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $16,296,505,162.17 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $17,076,143,216.08 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $17,793,686,203.75 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $18,421,536,317.95 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $18,980,391,914.12 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $19,484,051,895.84 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $19,946,315,166.74 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $20,353,382,823.21 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $20,850,143,353.13 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $21,774,669,894.93 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $23,306,348,195.52 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $24,720,735,815.44 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $26,431,799,862.95 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $28,108,366,651.44 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $29,929,821,927.82 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $30,895,745,180.45 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $32,089,350,342.62 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $35,076,812,973.96 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $39,306,176,930.11 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $43,045,679,808.13 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $47,157,753,083.60 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $51,138,736,774.78 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $55,871,760,712.65 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $61,991,574,463.23 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $68,656,444,906.35 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $76,625,311,740.52 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $83,283,282,731.84 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $88,471,670,488.81 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $93,984,332,480.58 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $101,042,471,676.56 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $107,748,738,830.52 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $114,786,179,671.08 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $123,569,181,818.18 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $134,787,690,452.26 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $146,558,155,230.70 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $157,362,696,756.51 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $166,752,850,662.40 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $174,707,918,592.96 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $182,531,896,939.24 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $188,955,286,569.21 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $194,219,568,296.03 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $200,470,471,630.88 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $207,466,515,760.62 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $215,883,846,962.08 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $225,825,957,012.33 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $236,458,012,243.03 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $245,958,557,377.80 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $256,769,998,355.41 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $267,609,037,140.25 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $278,337,684,696.21 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $290,649,273,479.67 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $301,421,732,554.59 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $310,983,061,859.75 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $321,599,179,356.78 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $331,386,879,675.65 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $343,529,707,867.98 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $351,983,399,180.45 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $360,393,347,968.48 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $369,881,336,100.96 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $383,892,121,874.83 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $393,535,209,683.87 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $401,305,510,295.11 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $412,653,452,645.04 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $429,594,780,572.86 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $434,894,318,498.40 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $452,510,343,818.18 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $454,605,707,331.20 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $466,823,256,586.57 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $480,114,084,564.64 | 2.85% |
| 2026 | $484,517,866,662.40 | 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 |