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.