Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Utah?
Yes — Utah lets a spouse be paid.
Utah is one of the states where the person who needs care can hire their own husband or wife and have the program pay for it. You do the caring you are already doing. The state pays you for it.
What has to be true
- Your spouse lives in Utah and needs long-term care help at home.
- Your spouse has Medicaid, or can qualify. We check that with you for free.
- You pass a background check. No license or certificate is needed.
- The care your spouse needs is written into their plan — that is what the hours are paid against.
What Utah pays family caregivers
$2,372/month
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Utah Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
What Utah's rule actually says
yes/limited — spouses payable under DSPD Caregiver Compensation (SB 63, CMS-approved Jan 2022) for extraordinary care; New Choices Waiver allows spouses 'in some cases'; EPAS and state-plan personal care exclude spouses
The programs this runs through in Utah: DSPD Caregiver Compensation, New Choices Waiver, Aging Waiver. Who runs them: Utah Dept. of Health & Human Services — Division of Integrated Healthcare (Medicaid, 800-662-9651) and Division of Services for People with Disabilities (DSPD, 1-844-275-3773)
433,100 people in Utah are 65 or older. Most of them are cared for at home, by a relative — usually without being paid for it.
How to start in Utah
For disability waivers call DSPD intake at 1-844-275-3773 or apply online at dspd.utah.gov; for the New Choices Waiver call Utah Medicaid at 800-662-9651 (option 6) after meeting facility-residency requirements.
participant-directed with a financial management services agency handling payroll (New Choices Waiver); DSPD caregiver compensation runs through the person's DSPD services and requires caregiver training
See if you qualify →Spouse questions in Utah, answered
Can I get paid to care for my husband or wife in Utah?
Yes. Utah allows it. The published rule: yes/limited — spouses payable under DSPD Caregiver Compensation (SB 63, CMS-approved Jan 2022) for extraordinary care; New Choices Waiver allows spouses 'in some cases'; EPAS and state-plan personal care exclude spouses
Why do some states allow this and others don't?
Medicaid has long treated care between spouses as a family duty rather than paid work. Self-directed programs changed that in many states by making the person who needs care the employer — they choose their own worker, and in some states that can be a spouse. It is a state-by-state policy choice, not a federal rule.
How much would I earn in Utah?
Reported pay in Utah runs around $2,372/month, though your exact rate is set by the program and the care plan.
Does my spouse need Medicaid first?
Yes. These are Medicaid programs, so your spouse has to qualify for Utah Medicaid and need long-term care help. Many families assume they earn too much and never apply. The rules for long-term care are not the same as regular Medicaid — check before you rule yourself out.
Is there a waitlist in Utah?
New Choices Waiver is not an entitlement (~2,500 slots, waitlist possible); DSPD services are known for a multi-year waiting list
How do we start?
For disability waivers call DSPD intake at 1-844-275-3773 or apply online at dspd.utah.gov; for the New Choices Waiver call Utah Medicaid at 800-662-9651 (option 6) after meeting facility-residency requirements.
Sources: dspd.utah.gov · medicaidplanningassistance.org · medicaidplanningassistance.org · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Utah caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Utah — pick yours for the local picture.
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