Longevity
Last Year's $1,000 of Medical Care Costs $1,015 Now
By Life and Health Today Staff, . Life and Health Today.
Prices for medical care were 1.5% higher in September 2026 than a year earlier, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index. Put plainly, $1,000 of medical care a year ago costs $1,015 for the same thing today.
Overall consumer prices rose 3.7% over the same twelve months, so medical care moved slower than everything else.
The numbers
| Change over the year | What last year's $1,000 costs now | |
|---|---|---|
| Medical care | +1.5% | $1,015 |
| Prescription drugs | -4.5% | $955 |
| Hospital services | +5.6% | $1,056 |
| Professional medical services | +3.4% | $1,034 |
| Health insurance | -9.0% | $910 |
| All consumer prices | +3.7% | $1,037 |
*Consumer price index for all urban consumers, U.S. city average, not seasonally adjusted, September 2026 against September 2025. The index measures the price of the same coverage or service, not what any one household pays. Health insurance is measured indirectly, from insurers' retained earnings, so it can fall while the premiums people pay rise.
Life and Health Today publishes this reading every month when the new price index is released. Data is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The dollar figures are Life and Health Today's own calculation and may be cited with a link to this page.
Life & Health Today provides information for educational purposes only, not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.