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EDD SDI extension process - what happens after doctor extends disability?

Hi everyone, I'm in a bit of a confusing situation with my husband's disability claim. He's been on SDI for the past 11 weeks (lower back injury from a work accident), and his doctor just decided to extend his disability period for another 8 weeks since he's not healing as quickly as expected. We've already received the doctor's certification through the mail saying he filled out his part, but I'm confused about what WE need to do now. Does my husband need to submit a new claim or something on his end? Or does the doctor's certification automatically extend his payments? The EDD website is so confusing and we've been calling for 3 days with no luck getting through. I don't want his payments to stop because we messed something up on our end! Thanks for any help.

Savannah Vin

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The dr should have filed the extension paperwork already if they mailed you a copy. Check your online EDD account for updates, sometimes takes a few days to appear in the system. You shouldnt need to do anything else.

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Liam Cortez

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Thanks! We've been checking his online account but nothing new shows up yet. It's been 5 days since the doctor said he submitted it. Should we be worried?

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Mason Stone

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Based on my experience with EDD SDI extensions last year, your husband doesn't need to file a new claim, but he DOES need to complete a "Claim for Continued Disability Benefits" form (DE 2500A) to maintain his certification. His doctor might have already submitted the medical extension documentation, but the claimant still has to certify for additional benefits. Check his SDI Online account and look under "Forms" to see if there's a continued claim form waiting to be completed. You can also check under "Claim History" to see the updated claim period once the extension is processed. The doctor's part and your husband's part are separate processes that both need to happen.

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Liam Cortez

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This is exactly what I needed to know! I just checked and there IS a form under the Forms section that we missed. Thank you so much for the detailed explanation!

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i had similar issue with my disability last month. the doctor sent in their part but my payments stopped anyway. had to call edd like 50 times before i got through. so frustrating!!!!

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Liam Cortez

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Oh no, that's exactly what I'm worried about! Did they eventually fix it for you? How long did it take once you got through?

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yeah they fixed it but took 10 days to get my payment. they said i was supposed to do the continued claim form thing the other person mentioned. wish they would make this clearer!!!

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I used to work at a medical office that handled a lot of SDI paperwork, so I can tell you exactly what's happening. The doctor submits what's called a "supplemental certification" when extending disability, but that alone doesn't complete the process. For an extension, these TWO things need to happen: 1. Doctor submits the medical extension certification (sounds like this is done) 2. Claimant needs to complete a DE 2500A form (Continued Claim Certification) You mentioned he's been on disability for 11 weeks, so he's definitely already certified for benefits at least twice (they're generally done in 2-week increments). The extension process uses the same certification form, but the dates will now extend beyond the original estimated recovery date. Check his SDI Online account for the form, or if it's not there, he can call EDD to request one be generated. The safest approach is to be proactive rather than waiting.

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Liam Cortez

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Thanks for the detailed explanation! That makes a lot more sense now. We found the form online and he's going to submit it today. One quick question - do we need to wait for them to approve the doctor's extension before he submits the continued claim form, or should he do it right away?

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Submit it right away! The two parts are processed separately but need to both be in the system. Don't wait or you might experience a gap in payments. They'll match up his continued claim with the doctor's extension once both are in the system.

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Emma Olsen

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EDD is THE WORST with communication!!! When my disability got extended last year they never told me I had to keep certifying and I lost 3 weeks of payments that I NEVER got back despite multiple appeals. Make sure your husband keeps certifying EVERY TWO WEEKS without fail even if the doctor part is delayed!!

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Liam Cortez

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That's terrible! I'm sorry that happened to you. Thanks for the warning - we're definitely going to stay on top of the certifications now.

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Lucas Lindsey

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I've been through several disability extensions myself, and getting through to EDD when there's a problem can be absolutely maddening. I spent weeks trying to reach someone when my extension was pending. If you're still having trouble reaching EDD after trying what others suggested, I finally had success using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have a service that connects you with an EDD representative usually within 10-20 minutes instead of spending hours redialing. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd It was worth it for me because I needed to confirm my extension was properly processed, and waiting weeks wasn't an option with bills due. The peace of mind knowing everything was properly filed was invaluable.

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Liam Cortez

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Thank you for this suggestion! If we have any issues with the extension processing, I'll definitely look into this. The video is helpful to understand how it works.

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Sophie Duck

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is that service legit? seems sketchy that you have to pay to talk to edd when its a government service we already pay for with our taxes...

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Lucas Lindsey

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I was skeptical too at first, but they just help you bypass the phone queue - you still talk directly to actual EDD representatives. After spending literally days trying to get through on my own, it was worth it for me. But hopefully OP won't need it if the online form submission works properly.

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Just wanted to add a quick note about extensions - make sure your husband continues submitting his certification forms even if there's a delay processing the doctor's extension. If the doctor's extension is approved, but they don't have your husband's certification forms, they can't issue payments. Also, once the extension is processed, check that the new end date in the system matches what the doctor intended. Sometimes there are discrepancies that can cause payment issues down the line.

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Liam Cortez

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Thank you! That's a good tip about checking the end date. Where exactly in the SDI Online system would we see the updated end date once it's processed?

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Look under "Claim Details" or "Claim Summary" in his SDI Online account. There should be a section that shows the "Benefit Period" with start and end dates. After the extension is processed, the end date should reflect the new extended recovery date from his doctor.

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Austin Leonard

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this happened to me but with pregnancy disability. got extended from 6 weeks to 8 weeks and thought the doctor did everything. ended up with no payment for the extra 2 weeks because i didn't know i had to certify! the doctor part and your part are separate things - make sure you do both!!

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Liam Cortez

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UPDATE: Thanks everyone for your help! We found the continued claim form in his SDI Online account and submitted it today. The doctor's extension hasn't appeared in the system yet, but we'll keep checking daily. I've also made a calendar reminder for the next certification period so we don't miss it. Will update again once we know if the payments continue smoothly!

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Mason Stone

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Great! You're on the right track. If the extension doesn't appear in the system within a week, I'd recommend calling EDD to confirm they received it. Better to be proactive than to wait and potentially have a payment gap.

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