EDD SDI after COBRA ends - need answers ASAP!

COBRA is just for continuing your health insurance, it has no direct impact on your SDI eligibility. The important thing is that you need to have paid into SDI through payroll deductions within the base period (usually 5-18 months before your claim). If you've been working and paying into the system, you should be eligible even after being laid off. If I were you, I'd file for SDI as soon as your doctor certifies you can't work, whether that's before or after your employment ends. Your medical condition is what matters for SDI, not your employment status at time of filing. Good luck with your surgery!

I went through something similar last year. File for SDI as soon as your doctor says you can't work - don't worry about the COBRA timing. They're completely separate systems. COBRA = health insurance continuation SDI = wage replacement for disability You can be on both at the same time. The key is having your doctor fill out the medical certification (DE 2501) correctly showing you can't perform your regular work. If you wait too long after becoming disabled to file, you might lose benefits.

cobra is a SCAM!!! my cobra was over $1500 for my family and the SDI barely covered my rent. if u can get on covered california instead, DO IT! EDD doesnt care if ur on cobra or not they just want to know if ur disabled and cant work. but dont forget the 7 day waiting period before benefits start!!

A few important technical details about your situation: 1. SDI eligibility is based on your base period wages (5-18 months before claim), not current employment status 2. There's a 7-day unpaid waiting period for SDI 3. Your weekly benefit amount will be approximately 60-70% of your average wages, up to $1,620 per week in 2025 4. You have 49 days from your disability onset to file your claim To directly answer your question: You can file for SDI while on COBRA with no issues. They're separate systems that don't affect each other's eligibility.

does anyone know if u can get retroactive SDI payments? like if the op starts cobra then files for disability later?

Sorry about your situation! I had back surgery last year and SDI was a lifesaver. The only annoying part was trying to reach EDD when I had questions about my claim being pending. I spent DAYS trying to get through, constantly getting disconnected or waiting on hold forever. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual EDD representative in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd Totally worth it when you need answers about your claim right away, especially with your surgery coming up!

One thing no one mentioned - make SURE your doctor fills out that DE 2501 form COMPLETELY. My claim was delayed for 6 weeks because my doctor left one field blank and EDD never bothered to tell me until I finally got through on the phone. For the layoff situation, just be honest about your last day of work on the application. If your disability starts before your employment ends, that's completely fine.

To answer your original question about COBRA - yes, it's expensive but necessary if you need to keep your exact same insurance (like if you're mid-treatment with specific doctors). If your surgery is already scheduled, you might want to keep your current insurance through COBRA at least until after your surgery. After that, you could look into Covered California, which might be much cheaper depending on your income while on disability. When on SDI, your income will be lower which might qualify you for subsidies.

To address your follow-up question about informing EDD of your layoff: Yes, you should accurately report your employment status and last day of work when filing. This won't affect your SDI eligibility if you've paid into the system, but it helps them process your claim correctly. Also, keep track of all communication with EDD. Document who you speak with, when, and what was discussed. This can be invaluable if there are any issues with your claim later.

Just want to add one more piece of advice from someone who went through this exact scenario - don't panic about the timing! I was laid off while dealing with a chronic condition and was terrified about losing everything. Here's what I wish I'd known: Your SDI eligibility is locked in based on your work history, not your current job status. As long as you've been paying into SDI through payroll deductions, you're covered. I filed for SDI about 2 weeks after my layoff (once my doctor confirmed I couldn't work) and had no issues. The COBRA vs Covered California decision can wait a bit - you have 60 days to elect COBRA from your qualifying event. Use that time to compare costs and see what your SDI benefit amount will be. Sometimes the Marketplace plans are way better financially, especially with the lower income from disability benefits. Stay strong - the system actually does work once you navigate through all the paperwork and waiting periods!