In Utah, parents split their children's uninsured medical and dental costs equally, and the parent who pays has 30 days to send written proof to the other parent. Miss that window and a court can deny your claim for reimbursement.
The rule sounds simple. In practice, it's one of the most common sources of ongoing conflict between divorced parents. A $40 copay becomes a receipt, a request, a reminder, a dispute about whether the visit was "necessary," and a balance that never quite gets paid.
Here's what Utah law requires, why the request-and-wait process breeds conflict, and how to take the back-and-forth out of it.
What Utah law says about medical and dental costs
The rules are in Utah Code 81-6-208, which replaced the old section 78B-12-212 in 2024. Older orders may cite the old number; the rules didn't change.
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| 50/50 split | Each parent pays half of reasonable and necessary uninsured medical and dental costs, including copays, coinsurance and deductibles. |
| 30-day verification | The parent who pays must give the other parent written proof of the cost and the payment within 30 days of paying. |
| Penalty for missing it | If you don't send proof on time, a court may deny you credit for the expense or the right to collect the other parent's share. |
| Insurance premiums | The child's share of the health insurance premium is generally shared equally too, as the out-of-pocket cost actually paid. |
The 30-day rule is the one that catches people. Life gets busy, the receipt sits in a drawer, and a legitimate claim quietly expires.
What about child care costs?
Work-related child care, such as daycare and after-school care, is handled separately from medical costs. Your decree, judgment or custody order should say how it's split, how proof is shared and when payment is due.
Utah's child care rules changed in 2026. Under HB 463, effective July 1, 2026, new and modified child support orders must include a provision for ongoing child care costs. Orders entered before then keep their existing terms until someone modifies them.
Because the rules depend on when your order was entered, read your order's child care paragraph closely, or ask your attorney which version applies to you.
Why request-and-wait creates conflict
The law tells you who owes what. It doesn't make anyone pay. In most families, reimbursement still runs like this:
- One parent pays the bill.
- They find the receipt and the explanation of benefits.
- They send a request and wait.
- The other parent questions it, delays, or pays part of it.
- Reminders follow, then frustration, then a running balance nobody agrees on.
Every step is a separate interaction, and every interaction is a chance to fight. Research on divorced families consistently finds that conflict between parents, not the divorce itself, is what harms children most. A system that requires dozens of money conversations a year is working against your kids.
Tracking requests in a shared app helps with the record, but it doesn't remove the steps. Someone still has to ask, and someone still has to pay.
Decreely splits and pays shared expenses automatically
Decreely doesn't just log reimbursement requests. It runs the expense rules in your order and moves the money.
- Rules from your order. Decreely reads the expense provisions in your decree, judgment or custody order, including the split, the categories and the deadlines, and cites the paragraph each rule comes from.
- Proof sent on time, every time. Add a receipt and Decreely sends written verification to your co-parent right away, well inside the 30-day window.
- The split is calculated for you. No spreadsheets, no math, no debate about what half of $187.43 is.
- Payment happens automatically. Shared expenses are paid by the rules both parents set, with standing approvals for routine costs like copays, so nobody has to ask and nobody has to chase.
- A clean record for court. Every expense, receipt, approval and payment is timestamped and ready to export for your attorney if you ever need it.
You choose how much runs on autopilot. Some parents approve each expense; others set standing approvals and let Decreely handle the rest.
Join the Decreely beta and stop chasing reimbursements.
Frequently asked questions
How are kids' medical bills split after divorce in Utah?
By default, each parent pays half of reasonable and necessary uninsured medical and dental costs, including copays, coinsurance and deductibles.
What is the 30-day rule for medical expenses in Utah?
The parent who pays must send the other parent written proof of the cost and payment within 30 days. If they don't, a court may deny reimbursement.
What if my co-parent won't reimburse me?
Keep your proof and your records. Enforcement goes through the court, usually by motion. Talk with your attorney about your options.
Does this apply to orders that cite 78B-12-212?
Yes. The same rules moved to Utah Code 81-6-208 in 2024.
This article is general information, not legal advice. For questions about your case, talk with a Utah family law attorney.
