EDD receipt number delay holding up my medical certification - can't find it in my SDI account
Finally got access to my EDD SDI account after being locked out for weeks, but now I'm stuck in paperwork limbo! Been on medical leave since November 18th and my claim shows as received, but EDD is waiting on medical certification forms. Here's my problem: my healthcare provider needs an EDD receipt number to submit their certification forms, and EDD supposedly mailed this number to me but I haven't received anything. I was told to wait for it in the mail, but I'm getting desperate - bills are piling up. I've checked everywhere in my online account but can't find any receipt number there. Has anyone dealt with this before? How long does it typically take to get this receipt number in the mail? Is there another way to get it without waiting? Really need help before I run out of money completely.
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Mary Bates
The receipt number should be your claim ID number that starts with "DE" followed by some digits. It should be visible in your SDI Online account under "Claim Details" - look in the top section where it shows basic info about your claim. If you can't find it there, you might need to call EDD directly. I had a similar issue and had to wait on hold for almost 2 hours, but eventually got someone who gave me the number over the phone.
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Oliver Brown
•Thanks for the tip! I checked under Claim Details but all I see is a claim ID that starts with "DI" not "DE". Could that be the same thing? I'm afraid of giving my doctor the wrong number and causing more delays.
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Clay blendedgen
omg the EXACT same thing happened to me last month!!! my doctor kept asking for some receipt number and i was like ???? nowhere to be found. turns out the DI number IS the receipt number they need! just give that to your medical provider and theyll know what to do with it.
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Oliver Brown
•Oh really?? That would be such a relief if true! I'll call my doctor's office tomorrow morning and give them the DI number. Fingers crossed this works - thank you!
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Ayla Kumar
This is a common issue with EDD SDI. The receipt number they refer to is actually your claim identification number (starts with DI followed by numbers). Your medical provider needs this to complete and submit the medical certification form (DE 2501). Without this certification, your claim will remain pending indefinitely. If you've already filed your claim online, the DI number is generated immediately and should be visible in your account under claim details. You don't need to wait for anything in the mail unless you filed by paper form. Your medical provider likely has a standard process for submitting these certifications to EDD once they have your claim ID.
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Oliver Brown
•That makes so much sense! I kept looking for something labeled specifically as "receipt number" and getting nowhere. I'll pass the DI number to my provider immediately. Thank you for explaining this so clearly!
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Lorenzo McCormick
EDD ALWAYS does this!!! They use different terms with different people and never explain anything properly. I wasted THREE WEEKS waiting for some "receipt number" in the mail before finding out it was just my claim number that was on my online account the whole time. The system is deliberately confusing to reduce payments IMO.
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Mary Bates
•While I understand your frustration, I don't think it's deliberate. EDD staff often use internal terminology that doesn't match what appears in the online system. The representatives should definitely be clearer though - a simple "use your claim ID number" would have saved the OP weeks of stress.
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Carmella Popescu
If you're having trouble reaching EDD to confirm whether the DI number is what your medical provider needs, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation last month and spent days trying to get through to a rep. Claimyr helped me connect with an actual person at EDD in about 25 minutes instead of spending hours on hold or getting disconnected. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd. It was worth it to get my certification issue resolved quickly.
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Oliver Brown
•Thanks for the suggestion! If the DI number doesn't work out, I'll definitely check out Claimyr. At this point I'd do anything to get this resolved - being stuck without income is incredibly stressful.
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Kai Santiago
Wait, I'm confused... When I was on disability last year, my doctor submitted everything electronically WITHOUT any receipt number or claim ID. I just gave them my social security number and they handled everything. Has the process changed? Maybe call your medical provider and ask if they can submit electronically through SDI Online?
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Ayla Kumar
•Great point! Many medical providers can submit certifications electronically through SDI Online using the patient's SSN and other identifying information. However, some providers (especially smaller practices) still use the paper forms which do require the claim ID. It really depends on what system the healthcare provider uses.
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Lim Wong
To the original poster - I had the exact same confusion last year. It's definitely the DI number they need! I spent weeks stressing about this "receipt number" that never came in the mail. Once I gave my doctor the DI number from my online account, they submitted their forms and my claim was approved within 5 business days. Don't wait any longer for something in the mail!
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Oliver Brown
•Thank you SO much for confirming! I'm calling my doctor first thing tomorrow. It's incredibly frustrating that EDD uses different terminology with claimants vs. medical providers. Could have saved weeks of delay if they'd just been clear about this from the start.
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Mary Bates
Just to follow up - did you manage to get this sorted out? Did the DI number work for your medical provider?
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Oliver Brown
•Yes! I called my doctor yesterday and gave them the DI number from my account. They confirmed that's exactly what they needed and submitted the certification right away. My online status already changed from "awaiting medical certification" to "processing payment" this morning! Such a relief. Thanks everyone for your help!
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