EDD denied start date of my surgery-related disability claim - what happens now?

This is actually a pretty common issue with EDD SDI claims. What the notice means is they're not denying your entire claim - just the starting date. Basically, EDD is saying that according to their records, your first documented doctor visit/care was later than 3/11, so they've moved your claim effective date forward to match that date (plus the 7-day waiting period all SDI claims have). You need to check your SDI Online account to see what new effective date they've given you. If it's only off by a few days, it might not be worth appealing. But if it's significantly later and you can prove you were under doctor's care on 3/11, then definitely appeal within that 30-day window.

omg the EXACT same thing happened to me last year!!! i had shoulder surgery and they denied the first 2 weeks claiming my doctor didnt see me until later?? but he LITERALLY cut me open lol. turns out my doctor's office put the wrong date on the medical certification form. call your doctor and have them check what date they put on your form!!

What's happening here is a clerical issue. For SDI claims, there are two important dates: 1. The date you became disabled (your surgery date) 2. The date you were first examined/treated by your doctor for this condition If you had a consultation with your surgeon prior to the actual surgery date, that's technically when you were first "under care" for this condition. The system expects these dates to match up. Your doctor likely filled out the medical certification (DE 2501) with only the surgery date, not acknowledging the pre-surgical consultation. You have three options: 1. Appeal within 30 days (safest option) 2. Ask your doctor to submit an amended DE 2501 form with corrected dates 3. Accept the adjusted date if it's only off by a few days But check your SDI Online account first to see the actual adjusted date.

just wait it out... they'll pay u eventually. EDD always does this kinda stuff

I had a NIGHTMARE trying to resolve a similar issue with my SDI claim last month. Spent literally 6 days trying to get through to an actual SDI rep by phone. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an EDD agent in about 22 minutes. They have this demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd Once I actually spoke to someone, they explained that my doctor had entered the wrong date in the system, and the rep was able to notate my account while I had my doctor's office fax in a correction. Way easier than going through the formal appeal process.

THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!!! EDD denies EVERYTHING initially hoping you'll just give up and not appeal. They did this to my wife, my brother AND my neighbor all in the last year. It's all about DENYING benefits that we've PAID FOR through our taxes!!!!

This is why I always tell people to make copies of EVERYTHING you submit to EDD. Did you keep a copy of what your doctor submitted? My orthopedist gave me a copy of my disability form before they sent it in and that saved me when EDD tried to claim they had different dates.

Update to my earlier comment: After reviewing your situation again, I want to clarify something important. If 3/11 was your surgery date, but you had pre-surgical consultations earlier, EDD might actually be correct in their adjustment. The SDI regulations state that benefits begin on the 8th day of disability (that's the waiting period), but the claim effective date can't be more than 7 days before you first saw a doctor for the condition. Example: If your first consultation for the knee issue was on 3/1, and your surgery was on 3/11, then the earliest your claim could be effective would be 2/23 (7 days before 3/1). But since your disability actually started on 3/11, that's when your 7-day waiting period would begin, making your benefits potentially payable from 3/18 onward. Check your online account to see the actual adjusted dates - this might all be working correctly.

I'm glad you were able to check your online account and everything is making sense now! Just wanted to add that even though your claim is effective from 3/18, you should still keep all your documentation from the surgery and consultations organized in case EDD requests anything else later. Also, make sure to submit your continued claim forms (DE 2501C) on time every two weeks to keep your benefits flowing smoothly. Recovery from knee surgery can take a while, so don't rush back to work before you're medically cleared. Take care of yourself!

I went through something similar with my back surgery claim last year! One thing that really helped me was requesting a "Notice of Computation" from EDD once everything was sorted out - it shows exactly how they calculated your benefit amount and dates. You can request it through your SDI Online account or by calling. It's super helpful to have for your records and helps you understand exactly what weeks you'll be paid for. Also, if you're planning to return to work gradually (like part-time at first), make sure to report those earnings on your continued claim forms - you can sometimes still get partial benefits while transitioning back. Good luck with your recovery!

I'm so glad to see this thread helped you figure everything out! As someone who's been through multiple SDI claims over the years, I just wanted to add one more tip that might help others reading this: if you ever have a planned surgery like this in the future, ask your doctor's office specifically what dates they're putting on the DE 2501 form before they submit it. Sometimes they only put the surgery date and forget about pre-surgical consultations, which can cause these kinds of date adjustments. Also, if you have any follow-up appointments or physical therapy scheduled, make sure those are documented too since they can extend your claim if needed. Wishing you a smooth recovery - knee surgeries are no joke!

I'm so happy to see you got this resolved! Your experience is a perfect example of why it's so important to check your SDI Online account first before panicking about denial notices. EDD's language can be really confusing - when they say "denied" they often just mean they're adjusting dates, not rejecting your entire claim. For anyone else reading this who might face a similar situation: the key takeaway is that the 7-day rule about being "under care" refers to when you FIRST saw a doctor for the condition, not necessarily when your disability actually started. So if you had consultations weeks before your surgery, that earlier date is what EDD uses for their calculations. The actual disability start date (surgery day) is what triggers your 7-day waiting period for benefit payments. Amara, I'm glad your claim is now effective from 3/18 and you don't need to appeal! Focus on your recovery and don't stress about the SDI stuff anymore. 💙

As someone who works in healthcare administration, I see these kinds of date confusion issues all the time! One thing that might help future readers is understanding that medical offices often have different staff handling different parts of the disability paperwork process. Sometimes the person filling out the DE 2501 form only has access to certain appointment records and might miss the full timeline of care. If you're ever in this situation again, when you're scheduling your initial consultation for a planned surgery, specifically mention that you'll be filing for SDI and ask them to make a note in your chart about the connection between that first visit and your upcoming disability claim. This can help ensure all the dates line up correctly on the paperwork. Also, for anyone reading this - most doctor's offices are happy to provide you with a copy of any disability forms before they submit them if you just ask. It takes 30 seconds and can save you weeks of headaches later! Glad everything worked out for you, Amara!