According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 3,147.26% higher in 2026 versus 1955 (a $24,407,372,391.70 difference in value).
Between 1955 and 2026:Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 5.02% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $775,512,064 in the year 1955 would cost $25,182,884,455.70 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.61% 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 $775,512,064 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 | $775,512,064.00 | 2.34% |
| 1956 | $803,854,213.44 | 3.65% |
| 1957 | $836,801,962.16 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $876,835,248.24 | 4.78% |
| 1959 | $913,680,042.51 | 4.20% |
| 1960 | $945,919,237.50 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $974,615,663.80 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $1,000,477,875.16 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $1,024,214,425.32 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $1,045,116,760.53 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $1,070,624,695.02 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $1,118,097,795.33 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $1,196,747,260.02 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $1,269,374,017.96 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $1,357,234,681.22 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $1,443,323,960.14 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $1,536,853,053.28 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $1,586,451,814.80 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $1,647,741,712.96 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $1,801,143,596.79 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $2,018,315,316.86 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $2,210,333,379.30 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $2,421,482,392.62 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $2,625,900,145.44 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $2,868,934,076.87 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $3,183,177,658.77 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $3,525,409,113.23 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $3,934,598,895.74 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $4,276,476,073.34 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $4,542,892,278.06 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $4,825,959,495.57 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $5,188,384,731.51 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $5,532,741,847.19 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $5,894,104,252.52 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $6,345,098,705.45 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $6,921,152,892.78 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $7,525,549,229.55 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $8,080,346,804.80 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $8,562,517,622.12 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $8,970,998,850.89 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $9,372,748,819.18 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $9,702,580,583.27 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $9,972,893,833.53 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $10,293,868,675.92 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $10,653,105,420.05 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $11,085,323,198.98 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $11,595,836,165.73 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $12,141,776,819.28 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $12,629,616,066.49 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $13,184,767,918.60 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $13,741,336,878.19 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $14,292,237,407.90 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $14,924,419,679.42 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $15,477,569,867.24 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $15,968,530,293.65 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $16,513,652,567.63 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $17,016,236,818.08 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $17,639,753,477.41 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $18,073,838,295.44 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $18,505,676,998.12 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $18,992,871,461.42 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $19,712,305,039.99 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $20,207,463,647.29 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $20,606,457,341.54 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $21,189,157,762.91 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $22,059,070,441.15 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $22,331,194,046.21 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $23,235,751,459.37 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $23,343,345,344.18 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $23,970,698,821.99 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $24,678,848,682.31 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $25,182,884,455.70 | 2.04%* |
* 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 | 592.354 |