That's great news that your primary doctor is willing to help! Just wanted to add a few more tips from my experience helping people with similar situations: 1. Make sure to get the surgical center's contact information in case EDD needs to verify anything directly 2. Ask your Colombian surgeon to include specific details about work restrictions (like no lifting over 10 lbs, no bending, etc.) in their report - EDD loves specifics 3. Consider getting a letter from your employer confirming your job duties require physical work that would be restricted post-surgery 4. Keep all your travel documents (boarding passes, passport stamps) as proof of timeline The fact that your primary doctor is documenting everything before and after should really strengthen your case. Good luck with the surgery and recovery!

One more thing to consider - make sure you understand Colombia's medical record system and how to get copies of everything you'll need. Some countries have different documentation standards than what EDD expects. I'd recommend asking the Colombian surgical center upfront what records they provide post-surgery and if they can format them in a way that includes all the details California might want (procedure codes, recovery timeline, work restrictions, etc.). Also, find out about their policy for providing additional documentation if EDD requests more info later - you don't want to be stuck trying to get extra paperwork from abroad months after your surgery. The more prepared you are on the documentation side, the smoother your SDI claim should go.

As someone who's completely new to the EDD system, reading through your situation and everyone's experiences has been both incredibly educational and honestly quite alarming! Lorenzo, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this bureaucratic nightmare while trying to recover from such a serious three-fracture leg injury. What really strikes me from all the responses is how common this UI/SDI overlap issue seems to be, yet EDD apparently provides zero clear guidance on handling these transitions. You were following the most logical path - UI after layoff, then SDI after injury - but somehow the system punishes people for these completely normal life circumstances. The 5-week delay with your doctor's certification (especially with it getting lost initially!) perfectly illustrates how administrative failures can trap people in impossible situations where you're forced to choose between financial survival and potential overpayment penalties later. Based on everyone's advice, especially after reading Isaiah's terrifying $2,900 overpayment experience, the path forward seems crystal clear: stop UI certification immediately, call EDD to confirm your SDI will automatically begin after the 23-day block period, and document absolutely everything. Anastasia's tip about asking specifically for the "benefit begin date" and Ana's advice about being proactive rather than reactive seem particularly crucial. I really hope you can get through to EDD soon and resolve this without further complications. This thread has already become such an invaluable resource for understanding these confusing benefit transitions - thank you for sharing your experience despite all the stress you're dealing with. Please keep us updated on how your call goes!

As someone completely new to the EDD system, this thread has been incredibly eye-opening and honestly quite concerning! Lorenzo, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this bureaucratic maze while trying to recover from such a serious injury. What really stands out to me from reading everyone's experiences is how this UI/SDI overlap situation seems to happen to so many people, yet EDD provides virtually no clear guidance on how to properly navigate these transitions. You were doing exactly what any reasonable person would do - filing UI after being laid off, then switching to SDI after your injury - but the system somehow treats this logical sequence as problematic. The 5-week delay with your doctor's certification (especially with it getting lost in their system initially!) really highlights how these administrative failures can create impossible situations where people are forced to choose between having no income or risking future overpayment issues. After reading through all the advice here, especially Isaiah's terrifying $2,900 overpayment story, the consensus seems absolutely clear: stop UI certification immediately, call EDD to confirm your SDI will start after the 23-day block period, and document everything thoroughly. The specific tips from Anastasia about asking for the "benefit begin date" and Ana's advice about being proactive with EDD rather than waiting seem particularly valuable. I really hope you can get through to EDD soon and get this resolved without any additional complications. A three-fracture leg injury sounds incredibly painful, and dealing with all this bureaucratic stress while trying to heal must be exhausting. Please keep us updated on how your call goes - this thread has already become such a helpful resource for anyone facing similar benefit transition issues!

Hi @Alexis! I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might help ease your mind. I went through a similar situation last year when I needed specialized treatment in Colorado for an eating disorder. Like you, I was really anxious about the whole SDI process with an out-of-state provider. What I found helpful was creating a simple "treatment transition" folder with copies of everything - my California doctor's referral, insurance pre-authorization, and all the SDI paperwork. I gave copies to both my family and the treatment center's admissions coordinator. This way, if there were any questions or delays while I was focused on my recovery, someone else could help advocate for me. The out-of-state certification process ended up being completely straightforward, and my claim was approved without any issues. Reading through all the excellent advice you've received here, it sounds like you're incredibly well-prepared. The fact that your treatment facility is already experienced with multi-state disability paperwork is such a huge advantage. You're taking such a brave and important step - focusing on your recovery while staying on top of all the practical details shows real strength. Wishing you all the best with your treatment program! This community will be here if you need any support along the way.

Hi @Alexis! I'm new to this community but wanted to reach out after reading through this entire thread - wow, what an incredible amount of helpful information you've received! I don't have personal experience with out-of-state SDI claims, but I did want to share something that might be useful. When I was preparing for my own medical leave last year (though mine was in-state), my therapist suggested I write down a few key questions to ask the treatment facility's medical staff when I arrived, just to make sure I didn't forget anything important while adjusting to the new environment. Things like: "When will you complete my SDI certification?" and "What information do you need from me to ensure it's processed quickly?" It sounds like you've got everything incredibly well-organized thanks to all the amazing advice here - from getting that referral documentation to creating checklists to saving confirmation numbers. The fact that the Arizona facility is already experienced with multi-state disability paperwork is such a relief! I'm really inspired by how proactively you're handling both your recovery and all these practical details. That takes real courage and planning. This community has shown such wonderful support, and it's clear you'll have people rooting for you throughout your 12-week program. Wishing you all the best with your treatment journey!

UPDATE: I talked to my primary care doctor in California and explained the situation. She agreed to review my therapy records and fill out a new certification form! I had my Nevada therapist send over detailed notes and my diagnosis, and my CA doctor will submit the certification by the end of the week. She said she's done this before for other patients. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for your help - especially the suggestion to use my primary care doctor instead.

This thread has been incredibly educational! I'm actually a mental health counselor licensed in California, and I see this issue come up frequently with clients who've relocated. Just wanted to add that when you're working with your CA primary care doctor, make sure your out-of-state therapist provides a comprehensive treatment summary that includes: current medications (if any), functional limitations specific to work activities, and a clear timeline of when symptoms began affecting your ability to work. This helps the CA doctor write a more detailed and convincing certification. Also, don't be surprised if your primary care doctor wants to do a brief mental health screening during your visit - it's standard practice to document their own clinical observations to support the certification. Really glad this worked out for you, Issac!

I'm so sorry you're going through this nightmare - what an awful situation to handle while you're supposed to be recovering and bonding with your new baby! I've been reading through all these responses and I'm amazed by how helpful and detailed everyone's advice has been. As someone who hasn't been through this exact situation but has dealt with other EDD headaches, I just wanted to add one small thing that might help: if you do manage to get through to someone (whether through Claimyr or the direct numbers people shared), consider asking them to put notes in your file about the conversation. Sometimes when you have to call back later, having detailed notes from previous calls can help the next agent understand your situation faster instead of starting from scratch. Also, I know several people mentioned this, but I can't stress enough how important it is to get everything in writing. Even if they verbally confirm they're fixing your claims, follow up with an email or secure message through your EDD portal summarizing what was discussed and asking for written confirmation. You've gotten such amazing advice from people who've actually been through this - the step-by-step approach from @Anastasia Kozlov especially sounds like a solid game plan. I'm really hoping you get through first thing tomorrow morning and can finally get this resolved. The stress of no income while caring for a newborn is just unimaginable. You've got this mama! 💕

I'm a new community member here and just wanted to say how incredible this thread has been to read! @Nathan Kim, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stressful situation while recovering from a C-section and caring for your newborn. The fact that EDD's confusing forms can so easily derail someone's benefits during such a vulnerable time is really infuriating. Reading through everyone's responses, I'm blown away by how supportive and knowledgeable this community is. The detailed advice from people like @Anastasia Kozlov who went through the exact same situation, @Miguel Ortiz with the disability advocacy perspective, and @Kai Rivera with HR expertise creates such a comprehensive guide for resolving this nightmare. I don't have personal experience with this specific SDI/PFL mix-up, but I wanted to add one thing that might help: when you do get through to EDD (and it sounds like you have an excellent game plan now!), consider asking if there's a direct callback number or supervisor you can reach if any issues come up during the resolution process. Sometimes having a specific contact can prevent you from having to start over with a new agent if something goes wrong. You've received such amazing actionable advice here - from using Claimyr at exactly 8 AM, to the specific language about "reinstating" your claim, to having all your documentation ready. I'm really optimistic that you're going to get this resolved quickly and get all your backpay. Please do update us - I'm sure there are other parents who will benefit from knowing how this gets sorted out. Sending you lots of support! 💙