According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 2,530.17% higher in 2026 versus 1960 (a $382,129,163,716.85 difference in value).
Between 1960 and 2026: Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 5.08% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $15,102,900,000 in the year 1960 would cost $397,232,063,716.85 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.69% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1960: Pricing changed by 3.53%, which is below the average yearly change for medical care during the 1960-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1960 (1.46%), 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 1960. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | $15,102,900,000.00 | 3.53% |
| 1961 | $15,561,077,865.17 | 3.03% |
| 1962 | $15,974,003,595.51 | 2.65% |
| 1963 | $16,352,990,224.72 | 2.37% |
| 1964 | $16,686,724,719.10 | 2.04% |
| 1965 | $17,093,993,932.58 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $17,851,967,191.01 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $19,107,713,932.58 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $20,267,299,887.64 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $21,670,116,067.42 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $23,044,649,662.92 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $24,537,970,112.36 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $25,329,882,471.91 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $26,308,459,887.64 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $28,757,731,685.39 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $32,225,176,516.85 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $35,291,008,651.69 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $38,662,292,696.63 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $41,926,102,921.35 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $45,806,473,483.15 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $50,823,803,932.58 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $56,287,999,213.48 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $62,821,276,179.78 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $68,279,814,943.82 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $72,533,515,617.98 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $77,053,072,584.27 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $82,839,689,325.84 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $88,337,823,707.87 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $94,107,470,898.88 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $101,308,216,853.93 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $110,505,713,258.43 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $120,155,731,011.24 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $129,013,836,404.49 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $136,712,355,842.70 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $143,234,319,775.28 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $149,648,809,887.64 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $154,915,027,078.65 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $159,230,949,438.20 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $164,355,753,707.87 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $170,091,461,797.75 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $176,992,412,359.55 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $185,143,453,146.07 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $193,860,145,617.98 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $201,649,169,325.84 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $210,512,931,235.96 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $219,399,319,213.48 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $228,195,202,921.35 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $238,288,861,291.01 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $247,120,663,880.90 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $254,959,521,502.25 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $263,663,147,420.22 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $271,687,595,359.55 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $281,642,895,326.97 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $288,573,655,732.58 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $295,468,553,821.35 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $303,247,282,668.54 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $314,734,028,008.99 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $322,639,915,355.06 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $329,010,397,766.29 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $338,314,010,426.97 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $352,203,361,301.12 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $356,548,188,461.80 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $370,990,690,119.10 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $372,708,574,287.64 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $382,725,134,332.58 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $393,621,622,139.33 | 2.85% |
| 2026 | $397,232,063,716.85 | 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 |