According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 2,248.30% higher in 2026 versus 1965 (a $71,945,699,536.73 difference in value).
Between 1965 and 2026:Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 5.31% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $3,200,000,000 in the year 1965 would cost $75,145,699,536.73 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.90% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1965: Pricing changed by 2.44%, which is below the average yearly change for medical care during the 1965-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1965 (1.59%), inflation for medical care was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $3,200,000,000 beginning in 1965. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | $3,200,000,000.00 | 2.44% |
| 1966 | $3,341,892,786.23 | 4.43% |
| 1967 | $3,576,968,894.77 | 7.03% |
| 1968 | $3,794,043,679.68 | 6.07% |
| 1969 | $4,056,651,224.35 | 6.92% |
| 1970 | $4,313,964,262.08 | 6.34% |
| 1971 | $4,593,514,228.99 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | $4,741,760,423.56 | 3.23% |
| 1973 | $4,924,950,364.00 | 3.86% |
| 1974 | $5,383,454,665.78 | 9.31% |
| 1975 | $6,032,561,217.74 | 12.06% |
| 1976 | $6,606,485,771.01 | 9.51% |
| 1977 | $7,237,590,999.34 | 9.55% |
| 1978 | $7,848,577,101.26 | 8.44% |
| 1979 | $8,574,983,454.67 | 9.26% |
| 1980 | $9,514,228,987.43 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $10,537,127,729.98 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $11,760,158,835.21 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $12,781,998,676.37 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $13,578,292,521.51 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $14,424,354,731.97 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $15,507,610,853.74 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $16,536,863,004.63 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $17,616,942,422.24 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $18,964,923,891.46 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $20,686,697,551.29 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $22,493,183,322.30 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $24,151,422,898.74 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $25,592,587,690.27 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $26,813,500,992.72 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $28,014,295,168.76 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $29,000,132,362.67 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $29,808,074,123.10 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $30,767,438,782.26 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $31,841,164,791.53 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $33,133,024,487.09 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $34,658,901,389.81 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $36,290,668,431.50 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $37,748,775,645.27 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $39,408,074,123.10 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $41,071,608,206.49 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $42,718,199,867.64 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $44,607,735,274.65 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $46,261,050,959.63 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $47,728,487,094.64 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $49,357,808,074.12 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $50,859,986,763.73 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $52,723,621,442.75 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $54,021,061,548.64 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $55,311,788,219.72 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $56,767,968,232.96 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $58,918,289,874.26 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $60,398,273,990.73 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $61,590,829,913.96 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $63,332,468,563.86 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $65,932,558,570.48 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $66,745,911,317.01 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $69,449,551,290.54 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $69,771,139,642.62 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $71,646,242,223.69 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $73,762,837,855.72 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $75,145,699,536.73 | 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 |