Medical care inflation
Medical care prices since 2000
Up 127%
An average of 3.19% a year, compared with 95% for all U.S. prices (overall CPI). $100 of 2000 medical care costs $227.38 in August 2026.
Last 12 months (to August 2026)
1.6%
All U.S. prices, same period
3.4%
Data since
1935
How much medical care prices have risen
| Since | Medical care | All U.S. prices | $100 then costs now |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | +3,827% | +1,290% | $3,927.17 |
| 1970 | +1,644% | +763% | $1,744.13 |
| 1980 | +692% | +307% | $791.73 |
| 1990 | +264% | +156% | $364.25 |
| 2000 | +127% | +95% | $227.38 |
| 2010 | +53% | +54% | $152.66 |
| 2020 | +14% | +29% | $114.29 |
Calculate medical care inflation
Inflation rate by year
Every year since 1935
| Year | Index | Change | $1 then costs now |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 580.1 | 2.9% | $1.02 |
| 2024 | 563.8 | 2.7% | $1.05 |
| 2023 | 549.1 | 0.5% | $1.08 |
| 2022 | 546.6 | 4.1% | $1.08 |
| 2021 | 525.3 | 1.2% | $1.13 |
| 2020 | 518.9 | 4.1% | $1.14 |
| 2019 | 498.4 | 2.8% | $1.19 |
| 2018 | 484.7 | 2.0% | $1.22 |
| 2017 | 475.3 | 2.5% | $1.25 |
| 2016 | 463.7 | 3.8% | $1.28 |
| 2015 | 446.8 | 2.6% | $1.33 |
| 2014 | 435.3 | 2.4% | $1.36 |
| 2013 | 425.1 | 2.5% | $1.39 |
| 2012 | 414.9 | 3.7% | $1.43 |
| 2011 | 400.3 | 3.0% | $1.48 |
| 2010 | 388.4 | 3.4% | $1.53 |
| 2009 | 375.6 | 3.2% | $1.58 |
| 2008 | 364.1 | 3.7% | $1.63 |
| 2007 | 351.1 | 4.4% | $1.69 |
| 2006 | 336.2 | 4.0% | $1.76 |
| 2005 | 323.2 | 4.2% | $1.83 |
| 2004 | 310.1 | 4.4% | $1.91 |
| 2003 | 297.1 | 4.0% | $2.00 |
| 2002 | 285.6 | 4.7% | $2.08 |
| 2001 | 272.8 | 4.6% | $2.17 |
| 2000 | 260.8 | 4.1% | $2.27 |
| 1999 | 250.6 | 3.5% | $2.37 |
| 1998 | 242.1 | 3.2% | $2.45 |
| 1997 | 234.6 | 2.8% | $2.53 |
| 1996 | 228.2 | 3.5% | $2.60 |
| 1995 | 220.5 | 4.5% | $2.69 |
| 1994 | 211.0 | 4.8% | $2.81 |
| 1993 | 201.4 | 5.9% | $2.94 |
| 1992 | 190.1 | 7.4% | $3.12 |
| 1991 | 177.0 | 8.7% | $3.35 |
| 1990 | 162.8 | 9.0% | $3.64 |
| 1989 | 149.3 | 7.7% | $3.97 |
| 1988 | 138.6 | 6.5% | $4.28 |
| 1987 | 130.1 | 6.6% | $4.56 |
| 1986 | 122.0 | 7.5% | $4.86 |
| 1985 | 113.5 | 6.3% | $5.22 |
| 1984 | 106.8 | 6.2% | $5.55 |
| 1983 | 100.6 | 8.8% | $5.89 |
| 1982 | 92.5 | 11.6% | $6.41 |
| 1981 | 82.9 | 10.7% | $7.15 |
| 1980 | 74.9 | 11.0% | $7.92 |
| 1979 | 67.5 | 9.2% | $8.79 |
| 1978 | 61.8 | 8.4% | $9.60 |
| 1977 | 57.0 | 9.6% | $10.40 |
| 1976 | 52.0 | 9.5% | $11.40 |
| 1975 | 47.5 | 12.0% | $12.48 |
| 1974 | 42.4 | 9.3% | $13.99 |
| 1973 | 38.8 | 4.0% | $15.28 |
| 1972 | 37.3 | 3.3% | $15.90 |
| 1971 | 36.1 | 6.2% | $16.43 |
| 1970 | 34.0 | 6.6% | $17.44 |
| 1969 | 31.9 | 6.7% | $18.59 |
| 1968 | 29.9 | 6.0% | $19.83 |
| 1967 | 28.2 | 7.2% | $21.03 |
| 1966 | 26.3 | 4.4% | $22.55 |
| 1965 | 25.2 | 2.4% | $23.53 |
| 1964 | 24.6 | 2.1% | $24.11 |
| 1963 | 24.1 | 2.6% | $24.61 |
| 1962 | 23.5 | 2.6% | $25.23 |
| 1961 | 22.9 | 2.7% | $25.90 |
| 1960 | 22.3 | 3.7% | $26.59 |
| 1959 | 21.5 | 4.4% | $27.58 |
| 1958 | 20.6 | 4.6% | $28.79 |
| 1957 | 19.7 | 4.2% | $30.10 |
| 1956 | 18.9 | 3.8% | $31.38 |
| 1955 | 18.2 | 2.2% | $32.58 |
| 1954 | 17.8 | 2.9% | $33.31 |
| 1953 | 17.3 | 3.6% | $34.28 |
| 1952 | 16.7 | 5.0% | $35.51 |
| 1951 | 15.9 | 5.3% | $37.30 |
| 1950 | 15.1 | 2.0% | $39.27 |
| 1949 | 14.8 | 2.8% | $40.07 |
| 1948 | 14.4 | 6.7% | $41.18 |
| 1947 | 13.5 | 8.0% | $43.93 |
| 1946 | 12.5 | 5.0% | $47.44 |
| 1945 | 11.9 | 2.6% | $49.83 |
| 1944 | 11.6 | 3.6% | $51.12 |
| 1943 | 11.2 | 4.7% | $52.95 |
| 1942 | 10.7 | 2.9% | $55.42 |
| 1941 | 10.4 | 0.0% | $57.02 |
| 1940 | 10.4 | 1.0% | $57.02 |
| 1939 | 10.3 | 0.0% | $57.57 |
| 1938 | 10.3 | 0.0% | $57.57 |
| 1937 | 10.3 | 1.0% | $57.57 |
| 1936 | 10.2 | 0.0% | $58.14 |
| 1935 | 10.2 | $58.14 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U series CUUR0000SAM, not seasonally adjusted. Index values are relative (only the changes matter), so they can't be compared across categories.
Questions
- How much have medical care prices gone up since 2000?
- Medical care prices rose 127% from 2000 to August 2026, faster than overall prices (95%).
- What is the inflation rate for medical care right now?
- Medical care prices were 1.6% higher in August 2026 than a year earlier.
- What did $100 of medical care in 2000 cost in August 2026?
- $227.38.
- Where does this data come from?
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics price index for medical care (series CUUR0000SAM), part of the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. It tracks price changes for the same kind of item over time, not average prices.