According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medical care are 689.82% higher in 2026 versus 1980 (a $4,118,251,512,520.87 difference in value).
Between 1980 and 2026:Medical care experienced an average inflation rate of 4.60% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, medical care costing $597,000,000,000 in the year 1980 would cost $4,715,251,512,520.87 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.03% during this same period, inflation for medical care was higher.
In the year 1980: Pricing changed by 10.95%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for medical care during the 1980-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1980 (13.55%), inflation for medical care was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medical care, over time, for $597,000,000,000 beginning in 1980. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | $597,000,000,000.00 | 10.95% |
| 1981 | $661,184,974,958.26 | 10.75% |
| 1982 | $737,927,879,799.67 | 11.61% |
| 1983 | $802,046,410,684.47 | 8.69% |
| 1984 | $852,012,353,923.21 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $905,101,168,614.36 | 6.23% |
| 1986 | $973,073,455,759.60 | 7.51% |
| 1987 | $1,037,657,095,158.60 | 6.64% |
| 1988 | $1,105,430,050,083.47 | 6.53% |
| 1989 | $1,190,013,355,592.65 | 7.65% |
| 1990 | $1,298,051,419,031.72 | 9.08% |
| 1991 | $1,411,405,008,347.25 | 8.73% |
| 1992 | $1,515,456,427,378.97 | 7.37% |
| 1993 | $1,605,886,811,352.25 | 5.97% |
| 1994 | $1,682,496,828,046.74 | 4.77% |
| 1995 | $1,757,844,407,345.58 | 4.48% |
| 1996 | $1,819,703,839,732.89 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $1,870,400,667,779.63 | 2.79% |
| 1998 | $1,930,598,998,330.55 | 3.22% |
| 1999 | $1,997,973,288,814.69 | 3.49% |
| 2000 | $2,079,035,058,430.72 | 4.06% |
| 2001 | $2,174,780,968,280.47 | 4.61% |
| 2002 | $2,277,171,285,475.79 | 4.71% |
| 2003 | $2,368,664,774,624.37 | 4.02% |
| 2004 | $2,472,782,637,729.55 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $2,577,166,277,128.55 | 4.22% |
| 2006 | $2,680,486,811,352.25 | 4.01% |
| 2007 | $2,799,051,609,348.92 | 4.42% |
| 2008 | $2,902,794,063,439.07 | 3.71% |
| 2009 | $2,994,872,924,874.79 | 3.17% |
| 2010 | $3,097,109,756,260.43 | 3.41% |
| 2011 | $3,191,368,647,746.24 | 3.04% |
| 2012 | $3,308,308,223,706.18 | 3.66% |
| 2013 | $3,389,720,153,589.32 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | $3,470,710,828,046.74 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $3,562,083,388,981.64 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | $3,697,012,033,388.98 | 3.79% |
| 2017 | $3,789,878,257,095.16 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | $3,864,708,901,502.50 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $3,973,993,455,759.60 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | $4,137,144,220,367.28 | 4.11% |
| 2021 | $4,188,180,577,629.38 | 1.23% |
| 2022 | $4,357,828,908,180.30 | 4.05% |
| 2023 | $4,378,007,973,288.81 | 0.46% |
| 2024 | $4,495,667,138,564.27 | 2.69% |
| 2025 | $4,628,479,539,232.05 | 2.95% |
| 2026 | $4,715,251,512,520.87 | 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 |