Caring for an Ailing Spouse In Arizona Has Become More Financially Viable

The Arizona Daily Star reported this weekend that the Arizona Long Term Care System, the state's Medicaid program for the elderly and disabled, will now pay spouses to provide basic health care for husbands or wives. In October, the state received a waiver from the federal government, making the support possible. How much spouses are paid is determined by local caregiving rates, which in Arizona average around $10 per hour.

In October, we posted a report about the financial costs of caregiving that stated Vermont had also received a waiver from Medicaid that enables the state to pay spouses who provide care. In addition, Oregon has paid spousal caregivers for over a decade from another state fund, but this year began running their program through Medicaid. We will make sure to post any additional reports from other states as we learn about them.