EDD denied my SDI claim saying they couldn't identify my doctor - but my doctor says the form is legible!

This is unfortunately pretty common with EDD SDI these days. I went through something similar in January. Your best approach for the appeal is to include a letter from your doctor confirming she completed the form, along with her credentials clearly typed out (not handwritten). Also include a copy of her medical license and a new medical certification form if possible. Make sure to specifically address the reason for denial in your appeal letter. State that the physician information was clearly provided on the original form, and include any documentation proving your surgery and recovery period. Follow up with a phone call to EDD after submitting the appeal to confirm they received it.

omg this happened to my brother!! edd is so messed up right now they denied him saying same thing but dr signed everything!!! took him like 6 weeks to get it fixed but he got retroactive pay

Ugh, this is EXACTLY why I hate dealing with EDD. They create these stupid problems and then make us jump through hoops to fix THEIR mistakes. I had THREE denials last year for completely ridiculous reasons. They claimed they never received my doctor's certification even though she faxed it TWICE with confirmation. Then they said my employer information was missing when it wasn't. They do this to discourage people from getting benefits they deserve. It's all about denying first, asking questions later. The whole system is BROKEN!!! Good luck with your appeal - you'll need it.

After trying for DAYS to reach someone at EDD about my similar issue, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and actually got through to a real person at EDD in about 20 minutes. They have this video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd The EDD rep told me that sometimes their scanning system messes up doctor certifications, especially if anything is handwritten or if the form gets folded/creased during mailing. She was able to review my claim while I was on the phone and told me exactly what additional documentation I needed to submit. Saved me weeks of waiting for the appeal process.

Make sure when you submit your appeal that you include a cover letter specifically addressing why the denial reason is incorrect. I work in healthcare administration and see this frequently. Ask your doctor to provide: 1. A typed letter stating she completed your medical certification form, including her name, license number, and NPI number 2. A business card or letterhead showing her credentials 3. A newly completed DE 2501 form with TYPED information (not handwritten) Also, double-check that your doctor used the correct physician license number. Sometimes physicians accidentally put their DEA number or other ID numbers instead of their state medical license number, which can cause confusion at EDD. The license format for California physicians is typically a letter followed by digits (like G12345 or A98765).

When I had surgery last yr they denied me for some stupid reason too I just resubmitted everything and it eventually went through. Didn't even have to appeal just submitted all the same stuff again lol

My wife is a doctor and she says EDD has been particularly picky about medical certifications lately. Sometimes they reject forms if the doctor uses abbreviations for their medical specialty or if the date format isn't exactly what they expect. Ask your doctor to completely spell out everything - no abbreviations for medical center names, specialties, etc. And make sure dates are in MM/DD/YYYY format.

did u file online or paper? i heard paper forms get messed up more

Quick update on the physician certification process - as of January 2025, doctors CAN submit the medical certification electronically through SDI Online if they're registered in the system. Not all medical offices are set up for this yet, but it's worth asking your doctor if they have access to the EDD provider portal. Electronic submissions avoid the scanning issues that often lead to these types of denials.

After you submit your appeal, keep a close eye on your SDI Online account for any updates. Sometimes they'll request additional information through your online portal but won't notify you by email or mail. I check my account every 2-3 days when I have an active claim or appeal. Also, if your appeal is approved, request that they expedite your payment due to financial hardship. They can sometimes process payments faster when you explain that you're having trouble paying essential bills like rent or utilities.

I'm going through almost the exact same situation right now! Filed my SDI claim after ankle surgery two weeks ago and just got denied for the same reason - they claim they can't identify my orthopedic surgeon even though his information is clearly written on the form. From reading everyone's advice here, I'm planning to gather a typed letter from my doctor with his credentials, a copy of his medical license, and have him fill out a completely new DE 2501 form with everything typed instead of handwritten. I'm also going to check if his office can submit electronically through the EDD provider portal. One thing I learned from calling around - make sure your doctor includes their NPI number along with their state medical license number. Apparently EDD cross-references these numbers and sometimes gets confused if information doesn't match their database exactly. It's ridiculous that we have to jump through all these hoops when we're already dealing with recovery from surgery! Keep us updated on how your appeal goes - I'll probably be filing mine next week and would love to hear if any of these strategies work for you.

I went through this exact same nightmare with EDD last fall after my gallbladder surgery. The key thing that finally got my claim approved was having my doctor submit a "physician attestation letter" on official letterhead that specifically stated: 1. "I, Dr. [Name], personally completed the medical certification form DE 2501 for patient [Your name]" 2. Her full credentials, medical license number, and NPI number 3. Confirmation of your surgery date and expected recovery period 4. A statement that all information on the original form was accurate and legible I also included a photocopy of her medical license certificate and had her complete a brand new DE 2501 form with everything printed clearly (no handwriting at all). The whole appeal package went in with tracking so I had proof they received it. The appeal was approved within 3 weeks and I got all my retroactive payments. Don't let them wear you down - you're entitled to these benefits and their "can't identify physician" excuse is usually just a processing error on their end. Stay persistent and document everything!

I'm dealing with something very similar right now! Got denied for SDI after my knee surgery last month with the exact same reason - "cannot identify physician." My orthopedic surgeon was so confused because she said her handwriting was perfectly clear and she's never had this issue before with EDD. Reading through all the advice here has been incredibly helpful. I'm planning to get a typed attestation letter from my doctor with her full credentials and NPI number, plus have her fill out a completely new DE 2501 with everything printed clearly. The tip about checking if doctors can submit electronically through the EDD provider portal is something I definitely want to ask about. It's so frustrating that while we're trying to recover from surgery and dealing with lost income, we have to become experts on EDD's bureaucratic requirements just to get benefits we've paid into. But seeing that others have successfully appealed these bogus denials gives me hope. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and strategies!

I'm new to this community but found this thread while searching for help with my own EDD denial situation. I had my appendix removed two weeks ago and just received a denial letter today with the exact same reason - "cannot identify physician." My surgeon is baffled because she's been submitting these forms for years without any issues. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both frustrating and reassuring. Frustrating to see how common this problem is, but reassuring to know that appeals can be successful with the right approach. I'm taking notes on all the advice shared here - especially about getting a typed physician attestation letter, including both medical license and NPI numbers, and asking about electronic submission through the provider portal. Has anyone had success getting EDD to acknowledge that this is a systematic issue on their end rather than actual problems with physician identification? It seems like their scanning/processing system is creating these false denials, but they're putting the burden on us to prove something that was never wrong in the first place. Thanks to everyone who's shared their strategies - it's giving me hope that I can get this resolved!

I'm new to this community and dealing with almost the exact same situation! Had my wisdom teeth surgery three weeks ago and just got the dreaded "cannot identify physician" denial letter yesterday. My oral surgeon was shocked because he said the form was filled out completely and his signature/license info were crystal clear. After reading through everyone's incredibly helpful advice here, I'm planning to request a typed physician attestation letter with his full credentials, medical license number, AND NPI number. I had no idea about the NPI requirement until reading this thread! I'm also going to ask if his office can submit electronically through the EDD provider portal to avoid future scanning issues. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to become EDD appeals experts while recovering from surgery, but I'm grateful to find this community where people are sharing real solutions. The detailed checklist from @Ethan Brown about what to include in the physician attestation letter is exactly what I needed. I'll definitely keep everyone updated on how my appeal goes - hopefully we can all get these bogus denials overturned quickly!

I'm new to this community but unfortunately joining because I'm dealing with this exact same issue! Had my tonsillectomy two weeks ago and just received the "cannot identify physician" denial letter today. My ENT surgeon is completely puzzled because she says her handwriting and license information are perfectly clear on the form. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both eye-opening and incredibly helpful. It's shocking how widespread this problem seems to be - clearly there's something wrong with EDD's scanning or processing system rather than actual issues with our doctors' forms. But like everyone else has pointed out, they're making US prove something that was never wrong in the first place. I'm taking detailed notes from all the successful strategies shared here, especially @Ethan Brown's checklist for the physician attestation letter. I had no idea about including both the medical license number AND NPI number until reading this thread. I'm also planning to ask my ENT if her office is registered for electronic submission through the EDD provider portal. It's absolutely insane that we have to become EDD bureaucracy experts while trying to recover from surgery and dealing with lost income. But I'm grateful to find this supportive community where people are sharing real solutions. I'll definitely keep everyone updated on my appeal progress - hopefully we can all get these ridiculous denials overturned and get the benefits we've rightfully paid into!

I'm new to this community but unfortunately here because I'm dealing with the exact same frustrating situation! Had my shoulder surgery three weeks ago and just got the "cannot identify physician" denial letter yesterday. My orthopedic surgeon reviewed the form with me and confirmed everything is clearly filled out - her name, license number, signature, all of it. What's really striking about this thread is seeing how many people are experiencing this identical issue with different surgeons across various medical specialties. This is clearly a systematic problem with EDD's processing system, not actual issues with our doctors' handwriting or credentials. Yet they're putting the burden on us to prove something that was correct from the start. I'm taking extensive notes from all the successful appeal strategies shared here - especially the detailed checklist about getting a typed physician attestation letter with both medical license AND NPI numbers. I had no idea about the NPI requirement until reading this thread! I'm also going to ask if my orthopedic office can submit electronically through the EDD provider portal to avoid these scanning issues. The fact that we have to become EDD appeals experts while recovering from surgery and dealing with lost income is absolutely ridiculous. But I'm grateful to find this supportive community where people are sharing real solutions and helping each other navigate this bureaucratic nightmare. I'll definitely update everyone on my appeal progress - hopefully we can all get these bogus denials overturned and receive the benefits we've rightfully earned!

I'm new to this community but unfortunately joining because I'm dealing with this exact same frustrating issue! Had my rotator cuff surgery four weeks ago and just received the dreaded "cannot identify physician" denial letter today. My orthopedic surgeon was completely baffled when I called - she said her information is crystal clear on the form and she's never had this problem in 15 years of practice. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly eye-opening. It's obvious this is a widespread systematic issue with EDD's processing system rather than actual problems with our doctors' forms. The fact that so many experienced surgeons across different specialties are all "shocked" and "puzzled" by these denials tells you everything about where the real problem lies. I'm taking detailed notes from all the successful strategies shared here - especially getting a typed physician attestation letter with both medical license AND NPI numbers (had no idea about the NPI requirement!), asking about electronic submission through the provider portal, and having my doctor complete a brand new DE 2501 with everything printed clearly. The checklist from @Ethan Brown is exactly what I needed. It's absolutely infuriating that we have to become EDD appeals experts while recovering from surgery and stressing about bills, but I'm so grateful to find this supportive community where people are sharing real solutions. I'll definitely keep everyone updated on my appeal progress - hopefully we can all get these ridiculous denials overturned and get the benefits we've rightfully paid into!

I'm new to this community and unfortunately here because I'm dealing with this exact same nightmare! Had my ACL reconstruction surgery last month and just got hit with the "cannot identify physician" denial yesterday. My orthopedic surgeon was absolutely stunned when I showed him the letter - he said his name, license number, and signature are all perfectly clear on the form. What's really telling about this thread is seeing how many experienced medical professionals across different specialties are all equally confused by these denials. This is clearly a systematic failure with EDD's scanning or processing system, but they're making us prove that something was never wrong in the first place. I'm going to follow the proven strategies everyone has shared here - getting a typed physician attestation letter with full credentials (both medical license AND NPI numbers), asking about electronic submission through the EDD provider portal, and having my doctor complete a fresh DE 2501 with everything printed clearly. The detailed breakdown from @Ethan Brown about what to include in the attestation letter is incredibly helpful. It's absolutely ridiculous that while we're trying to recover from surgery and manage financial stress, we have to become EDD bureaucracy experts just to get benefits we've paid into. But I'm grateful to find this supportive community where people are sharing real solutions and helping each other navigate this broken system. I'll definitely keep everyone updated on my appeal progress - hopefully we can all get these bogus denials overturned!

I'm also new to this community but unfortunately here because I'm dealing with this exact same frustrating situation! Had my knee meniscus surgery three weeks ago and just received the "cannot identify physician" denial letter yesterday. My orthopedic surgeon was completely bewildered when I called her - she said everything on the form is clearly legible and she's been submitting these for over a decade without any issues. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both enlightening and infuriating. It's clear this is a widespread systematic problem with EDD's processing system rather than actual issues with our doctors' forms. The fact that so many experienced surgeons across different specialties are all equally shocked by these denials speaks volumes about where the real problem lies. I'm going to follow the proven strategies everyone has outlined here - getting a typed physician attestation letter with her full credentials including both medical license AND NPI numbers, asking if her office can submit electronically through the EDD provider portal, and having her complete a brand new DE 2501 with everything printed clearly. The detailed checklist from @Ethan Brown about what to include is exactly what I needed to know how to approach this. It's absolutely maddening that while we're trying to recover from surgery and dealing with lost income, we have to become EDD appeals experts just to get benefits we've rightfully paid into. But I'm so grateful to find this supportive community where people are sharing real solutions and helping each other navigate this broken bureaucratic system. I'll definitely keep everyone updated on how my appeal goes - hopefully we can all get these ridiculous denials overturned and receive the support we need during our recovery!

I'm new to this community and unfortunately here because I'm dealing with this exact same infuriating situation! Had my gallbladder surgery two weeks ago and just got the "cannot identify physician" denial letter today. My surgeon was absolutely baffled - she said her name, license number, and signature are all perfectly clear on the form and she's never encountered this issue before in her years of practice. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly eye-opening and helpful. It's obvious this is a widespread systematic issue with EDD's processing system rather than actual problems with our doctors' forms. The fact that so many experienced medical professionals across different specialties are all equally confused and shocked by these denials really shows where the problem truly lies. I'm going to follow all the proven strategies shared here - getting a typed physician attestation letter with her complete credentials including both medical license AND NPI numbers (had no idea about the NPI requirement until this thread!), asking if her office is registered for electronic submission through the EDD provider portal, and having her complete a fresh DE 2501 with everything printed clearly instead of handwritten. The detailed breakdown from @Ethan Brown about what to include in the attestation letter has been invaluable. It's completely ridiculous that while we're trying to recover from major surgery and stressing about bills, we have to become EDD bureaucracy experts just to get benefits we've paid into our entire working lives. But I'm so grateful to have found this supportive community where people are sharing real solutions and helping each other navigate this broken system. I'll definitely keep everyone updated on my appeal progress - hopefully we can all get these bogus denials overturned quickly!