Can't reach EDD - how to get therapist Form DE 2525XX to extend disability for PPD?

Your therapist needs to register as a medical provider with EDD first before she can submit the DE 2525XX form. She should go to the SDI Online website and register as a medical provider - it's pretty straightforward but can take a few days to process. Once she has access, she can complete and submit the extension form electronically. Make sure she does this ASAP because there's usually processing time involved.

omg i went thru this exact same thing last yr!! my therapist had to create an SDI online acct first, then they mail her a code or somthing to verify her identity? took like a week i think. the extension form is only available online now, they dont do paper forms anymore. good luck!!!

I've been through this process multiple times with different providers. Here's what needs to happen: 1. Your therapist must register for SDI Online as a medical provider at edd.ca.gov/Disability 2. She'll need her license number, NPI number, and business information 3. EDD will verify her credentials (this takes 3-5 business days) 4. Once verified, she can access and submit the DE 2525XX form Important: The extension should be submitted before your current certification ends, but even if there's a slight gap, benefits will be retroactive if approved. The key is making sure your condition still qualifies for disability under their guidelines.

This happened to my wife. Extension is stressful!! Make sure your therapist uses the EXACT same diagnosis code on the extension form as was on your original claim or it might get rejected.

After spending THREE DAYS trying to get through to EDD about my extension (kept getting disconnected!!!), I finally used Claimyr to reach an actual person at SDI. It's a service that connects you with an EDD agent without the endless busy signals. Totally worth checking out their video demo at https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd - got through in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. The agent explained the whole extension process to me and even noted in my file that my doctor was submitting an extension. Their website is claimyr.com if you're desperate like I was.

the whole system is DESIGNED to be complicated and frustrating!! i swear they hope people just give up. my doctor tried to extend my claim last year and they "lost" the paperwork TWICE and then denied my extension claiming it was filed too late. had to appeal and wait 6 WEEKS with no income. edd is the absolute worst and they don't care that people are suffering!!!!!

Quick update on timeline expectations: For PPD disability extensions specifically, EDD is currently taking about 7-10 business days to process once all paperwork is submitted correctly. Make sure your therapist specifically notes that this is for postpartum depression continuation, as there are sometimes different processing channels for maternal mental health claims. Also, if your therapist is having trouble with the registration, she can call the Medical Provider Support line at 1-855-342-3645 - they're actually more responsive than the general SDI line.

btw make sure ur therapist fills out ALL parts of the form!!! my doc missed some tiny checkbox on page 2 and they rejected the whole thing and we had to resubmit and it delayed everything by like 2 weeks

Just wondering - is this your first extension? Because I think you can get up to 52 weeks total for disability but they make you keep extending like every 6-8 weeks with new paperwork each time. So annoying.

I know you've gotten a lot of advice, but one more important thing: make sure your therapist includes detailed clinical notes about why you specifically cannot perform your regular or customary work duties. EDD has been scrutinizing mental health extensions more carefully lately. The more specific the documentation about how your condition prevents you from working, the better chance of approval without delays.

Hey Freya, I just went through this exact situation 3 months ago with my psychiatrist for my own PPD extension! The stress is real, but you CAN get this sorted out. A couple things that really helped me: 1) Have your therapist call that Medical Provider Support line (1-855-342-3645) FIRST thing tomorrow morning - they walked my doctor through the whole registration process over the phone and it was SO much faster than trying to figure it out online. 2) While she's getting registered, ask her to start drafting the clinical notes now so she's ready to submit immediately once her account is active. 3) Don't panic about the timeline - even if there's a small gap, the benefits will be backdated if approved. I had a 3-day gap and got every penny back. You've got this mama, PPD recovery takes time and EDD does recognize that. Hang in there! 💙

I'm so sorry you're going through this stress on top of dealing with PPD - the timing pressure is awful! I went through a similar situation last year and wanted to share what worked for me. My therapist was also new to EDD forms, so I created a little "cheat sheet" for her with all the key info: my claim number, the exact diagnosis code from my original claim (super important!), and my work restrictions. I also gave her a copy of my original DE 2501 form so she could see the format and language EDD expects. One thing that really helped was having my therapist call me right after she submitted the extension so we could both confirm it went through properly - there's a confirmation number she should get. Also, even though everyone says the Medical Provider Support line is better (and it is!), I'd still recommend trying the regular SDI line early morning around 8:02 AM as a backup - sometimes you can get through when call volumes are lower. You're doing great advocating for yourself and your mental health! The extension process is stressful but totally doable once your therapist gets registered. 💗