Can I file SDI claim online while doctor submits by mail? Getting worried about timing

yes its fine! i did mine online and my dr did paper forms. just make sure he fills out ALL the spots on the form. my claim got delayed for 2 weeks bc my dr left one little checkbox empty and edd is sooo picky about that stuff

This is quite common and shouldn't cause any issues with your claim. When you complete your portion online, the system automatically generates a claim number. Your doctor's mailed form will be matched to your online application using your SSN and other identifying information. The form you requested (DE 2501) will have the mailing address printed right on it. Generally, your doctor should mail it directly to the EDD office after completing it. Make sure your doctor submits the form within 30 days of your disability start date to avoid potential delays. Regarding processing time, current SDI claims are taking about 14-21 days to process assuming all information is correct. The 7-day waiting period before benefits start still applies, so factor that into your financial planning. The mixed submission method (online/mail) typically doesn't add significant delays as long as your doctor completes their portion promptly and accurately.

When I did mine last yr my doctor was super slow filling out the form. My claim sat in pending for AGES and I couldn't get thru to anyone at EDD to see if they even received the doctor part. Eventually I got paid but it took like 6 weeks! Make sure ur doctor sends it quick!!

I've been through this process multiple times (chronic condition), and I can tell you exactly how to handle it efficiently: 1. When you get the DE 2501 form in the mail, immediately write your SDI Online claim number in the corner of EVERY page before giving it to your doctor 2. Ask your doctor's office to make a copy of the completed form before they mail it back to EDD 3. The form should be mailed to: State of California EDD, P.O. Box 989778, West Sacramento, CA 95798-9778 4. Once it's mailed, you can check the status of your claim in your SDI Online account. It will show when the medical certification has been received and processed. 5. If your claim shows "pending medical certification" for more than 10 business days after your doctor mailed it, that's when you should start calling EDD to check on it. This mixed submission approach (you online, doctor by mail) is actually very common and shouldn't cause delays as long as your doctor fills it out completely and correctly.

omg i had this EXACT same issue last month!! my doctor only does paper forms too and i was SO anxious about it. but honestly it wasn't that bad. just make sure you bug your doctor every few days to make sure they actually fill it out and mail it. mine kept saying 'oh we'll get to it' and then would forget. the squeaky wheel gets the grease lol

I've been filing SDI claims for years with my chronic condition, and I've always done my part online while my doctor submits by mail. It's completely normal! The system was actually designed to work both ways. One thing I always do that helps speed things up: give your doctor a heads-up BEFORE you file online so they can have the paperwork ready to go as soon as you receive it. Also, call your doctor's office a few days after giving them the form to confirm they've completed and mailed it. If you're really worried about timing, I'd recommend trying to reach an EDD representative directly to verify they've received your doctor's form. The problem is getting through - it can be nearly impossible with how overwhelmed their phone lines are. I started using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that gets you through to an actual EDD representative without the endless busy signals. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd It was a lifesaver when I needed to verify they'd received my medical certification after waiting 3 weeks with no updates on my online account. Turns out they had it but hadn't scanned it into the system yet.

I tried this exact thing last year and it was a NIGHTMARE! My doctor mailed the form but EDD claimed they never received it. I had to have my doctor fill out the paperwork TWICE and my payments were delayed by almost 6 weeks. I nearly got evicted waiting for the money. The system is completely broken. If I were you, I'd call EDD every single day until they confirm receipt of your doctor's form. And make sure your doctor sends it certified mail with tracking so you have PROOF it was delivered. Don't trust the process to work correctly because it often doesn't!!

Just following up - did you get this sorted out? One thing I forgot to mention is that EDD recently updated their system to better track paper forms. Once the form is received in their mail room, it should appear in your online account within 3-5 business days as "medical certification received" even before they fully process your claim. This is a relatively new feature that's been helpful for many claimants.

My cousin works at a doctor's office and she said they do hundreds of these forms and sometimes they get backed up for WEEKS before submitting them to EDD so definitely stay on top of your doctor!! Also make sure they fill out the EXACT dates you need or EDD will reject it. My doctor put the wrong return to work date and it caused a huge mess.

Hey Maya! I went through this exact same process about 6 months ago and it worked out fine. The mixed submission (you online, doctor by mail) is totally normal and shouldn't cause any delays as long as your doctor is prompt about filling it out. One thing that really helped me was creating a timeline and staying organized. Since your last day of work was March 11th and you're having surgery next week, you're actually in pretty good shape timing-wise. Just make sure when you give the form to your doctor, you emphasize that it needs to be completed and mailed within a few days - not weeks. Also, double-check that all the dates on the form match what you put in your online application. Any discrepancies can cause delays. The mailing address will be printed right on the DE 2501 form, so your doctor will know exactly where to send it. Don't stress too much about the savings situation - if everything goes smoothly, you should start receiving payments within 3-4 weeks of your disability start date (after the 7-day waiting period). Keep us updated on how it goes!

I just went through this same situation about 3 months ago! Mixed submission (online + mail) is completely normal and won't cause any processing delays. The key things that helped me avoid issues: 1. When you drop off the DE 2501 form, ask your doctor's office for their typical turnaround time for disability paperwork. Some offices batch these weekly, others do them daily. 2. Give them a sticky note with your claim number and your contact info in case they have questions. 3. Follow up exactly when they said it would be ready - don't wait longer hoping they'll just mail it. 4. If possible, offer to pick up the completed form and mail it yourself with tracking. Some doctors' offices are fine with this and it gives you more control over the timeline. Your surgery timing actually works in your favor since you'll have a clear medical reason for the disability. Just stay on top of the paperwork flow and you should be fine! The 14-21 day processing time Lucy mentioned is pretty accurate in my experience once they have everything.

I work in medical billing and deal with these forms all the time. Here's what I tell patients to help avoid delays: When you drop off the DE 2501 at your doctor's office, ask them to put it in their "urgent" pile since disability forms are time-sensitive. Many offices don't realize how important the timing is for your financial situation. Also, make sure your doctor includes specific functional limitations related to your condition - not just the diagnosis. EDD looks for details like "unable to lift more than 10 lbs" or "cannot stand for more than 30 minutes" rather than just "patient has back pain." One more tip: if your doctor's office uses a medical billing service, the form might get sent there first before being mailed to EDD, which can add 3-5 extra days. Ask if they handle it in-house or if it goes to an outside service so you know what timeline to expect. The mixed submission method really is fine - I've seen hundreds of these go through without issues. Just stay proactive about following up!

I just wanted to add one more thing that helped me when I was in a similar situation - if you're really worried about the timing and your financial situation, you might want to consider applying for other temporary assistance while you wait for SDI to process. Some counties have emergency assistance programs that can help with rent/utilities while you're waiting for disability benefits to kick in. Also, regarding your surgery next week - make sure your surgeon's office is aware that you'll need updated medical documentation if your recovery period extends beyond what your primary doctor initially estimated on the DE 2501. Sometimes the initial form estimates a 6-8 week recovery, but if complications arise or healing takes longer, you'll need your surgeon to submit additional paperwork to extend your benefits. You're doing everything right by staying on top of this process. The fact that you filed online right away and are being proactive about following up with your doctor puts you way ahead of a lot of people who wait until the last minute. Good luck with your surgery!

Hey Maya! I'm new to this community but going through something really similar right now. I'm about to file my SDI claim online but my doctor's office also told me they only do paper forms. Reading through everyone's responses here has been SO helpful - I had no idea this mixed approach was actually normal! A couple things I picked up from lurking in this community that might help you: some people have mentioned that if you're really tight on money while waiting, you can sometimes get an advance on your first SDI payment once your claim is approved. I'm not 100% sure on the details but it might be worth asking about when you call EDD. Also, I saw in another thread that some people take a photo of the completed DE 2501 form before their doctor mails it, just in case there are any questions later about what was submitted. Might give you extra peace of mind! Hope your surgery goes smoothly and your claim processes quickly! This community seems really supportive for navigating all the EDD confusion.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been through this exact scenario multiple times! The mixed submission (you online, doctor by mail) is actually super common and the system handles it seamlessly. I've done it at least 4 times over the past few years and never had any issues with the claims getting connected. One thing I always do that hasn't been mentioned yet - when I drop off the DE 2501 at my doctor's office, I ask them to call me the day they're planning to mail it so I can update my own records. Most offices are happy to do this since it only takes 30 seconds, and then I know exactly when to start watching my SDI Online account for the "medical certification received" status. Also, don't stress too much about your savings timeline. The 7-day waiting period starts from your first day of disability (March 11th in your case), not from when your claim gets approved. So even if there are minor processing delays, your benefit start date is locked in. You're actually in really good shape having filed so quickly after your work ended! Your proactive approach is going to serve you well. Most people who run into major delays are the ones who wait weeks to file or don't follow up with their doctors. You're clearly on top of things. Best of luck with your surgery next week!

Maya, I just went through this exact situation about 2 months ago and wanted to share what worked for me! The mixed submission is totally fine - I did my part online and my doctor mailed in the DE 2501, no issues at all. Here's what I learned that might help you: When you get the form and take it to your doctor, ask them upfront what their typical turnaround time is for these forms. My doctor's office told me "a few days" but it actually took them over a week because they batch process all their disability paperwork on Fridays. If I had known that from the start, I wouldn't have been calling them every day wondering what was taking so long! Also, since you're having surgery next week, make sure your primary care doctor coordinates with your surgeon about the expected recovery timeline. Sometimes the initial DE 2501 estimates one thing, but post-surgery complications or extended healing can change that. You want to make sure all your doctors are on the same page about your return-to-work date. One last tip - keep a simple log of when you drop off the form, when your doctor says they'll complete it, and when they actually mail it. It really helped me stay organized and know when to follow up. You're being super proactive about this whole process, which is exactly what you need to do. Good luck with your surgery and your claim!

Maya, I just want to add one more reassurance since I see you're still a bit worried about the process! I work as a patient advocate and help people navigate disability claims regularly. The mixed submission method (online + mail) is actually the most common way these claims get processed - probably 70% of the SDI claims I help with are done this way. One thing that might ease your mind: EDD has gotten much better at tracking paper forms in the last year. They scan them into the system within 2-3 business days of receipt, so you'll see the status update in your online account pretty quickly once your doctor mails it in. Since you're being so proactive and organized about this (which is honestly refreshing to see!), I'd say you're in great shape. Most of the horror stories you hear are from people who waited months to file or had doctors who never submitted the paperwork at all. You're clearly not going to let that happen. Quick reminder - make sure when you have your surgery next week that you get a copy of your surgical report for your records. Sometimes EDD requests additional documentation for surgical cases, and having it ready can prevent delays if they ask for more details later. You've got this! The fact that you filed so quickly and are staying on top of every step puts you way ahead of most claimants. Your claim should process smoothly once all the paperwork is in.

Maya, I just wanted to jump in and say you're handling this perfectly! I went through the exact same situation about 8 months ago - filed online, doctor only did paper forms, and I was super stressed about the timing too. The mixed submission really is no big deal at all. What helped me was creating a little checklist of follow-up dates so I wasn't just sitting around wondering what was happening. I'd write down when I dropped off the form, when the doctor said they'd complete it, and then set a reminder to call them if I hadn't heard anything by that date. One small thing that saved me some anxiety - I asked my doctor's office if they could text me when they put the form in the mail. Most offices are happy to do this since it takes literally 10 seconds, and then you know exactly when to start watching for the "medical certification received" status in your SDI Online account. You're being so proactive about this whole process, which is exactly what you need to do. The people who run into major problems are usually the ones who file late or don't follow up with their doctors at all. You're clearly not going to let that happen! Good luck with your surgery next week - you've got this handled! 💪

Maya, I just wanted to add my experience since I literally just went through this exact same situation last month! I filed my SDI claim online and my doctor only does paper forms too - I was SO stressed about it but it turned out to be completely fine. One thing that really helped me was asking my doctor's office to fax me a copy of the completed DE 2501 before they mailed it to EDD. That way I could see exactly what information they submitted and make sure all the dates matched what I put in my online application. It also gave me proof of what was sent in case there were any questions later. Also, I noticed you mentioned you're worried about running out of savings - have you looked into whether your employer offers any short-term disability benefits that might bridge the gap? Sometimes people forget to check if they have that coverage through work, and it can help while you're waiting for SDI to kick in. The timing really isn't as scary as it seems at first! Since you filed so quickly after your last day of work and you're staying on top of the doctor's paperwork, you should be in good shape. The 7-day waiting period starts from March 11th regardless of when your claim gets approved, which is actually in your favor. You're doing everything right by being proactive about this. Most delays happen when people wait too long to file or don't follow up with their doctors. Keep us posted on how it goes!