EDD scheduled my IME 6 hours away - how to get location changed?
Hey everyone, I need some advice. I just got scheduled for an independent medical exam but the location is super far away. I live in the Bay Area and they want me to go all the way to Glendora! That's like a 6-hour drive each way. Has anyone had any luck getting their exam location changed to somewhere closer? I'm thinking about sending an email to request a change but I'm not sure who to contact or what to say. Any tips would be really appreciated!
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Tom Maxon
I found a way to solve changing distant medical exam location, watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPLOpPwvCRw
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Dana Doyle
Ugh, that sucks! I had a similar situation last year. Here's what I did: 1. Draft a polite but firm email explaining your situation 2. Emphasize the travel hardship (time, cost, etc.) 3. Request a location change to somewhere in the Bay Area 4. Send it to the contact email on your examination notice If you don't have a specific email, try the general EDD contact form on their website. Good luck!
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Darcy Moore
•Thanks so much! This is really helpful. Did they end up changing your location when you did this?
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Dana Doyle
•Yeah, they did! It took about a week to hear back, but they were pretty understanding. Just be persistent if you don't hear anything at first.
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Liam Duke
•This is great advice! I'd also suggest calling them directly if you don't get a response to your email within a few days. Sometimes talking to a real person can make all the difference.
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Manny Lark
man, the EDD is such a mess. good luck getting anywere with them lol. i've been trying to get my claim sorted for months and its like talking to a brick wall 🤦♂️
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Rita Jacobs
•Ikr? It's like they're purposely making it difficult. Hang in there, hopefully you'll get through to someone helpful eventually!
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Manny Lark
•thanks bro. feels like im drowning in paperwork over here 😭
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Khalid Howes
Have you tried calling their customer service line? Sometimes you can get more done over the phone than through email.
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Darcy Moore
•I've tried but I can never get through. It's always busy or they hang up on me after being on hold forever 😫
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Ben Cooper
•Pro tip: I found a way to actually get someone on the phone. There's this site called claimyr.com that has a calling tool. It dials the phone menu, stays on hold, and then sends the call to your phone when a live agent picks up. It costs $20, but it works. Here's a video about it: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ
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Naila Gordon
•Wait, seriously? That sounds too good to be true. Has anyone else tried this?
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Ben Cooper
•I was skeptical too, but I gave it a shot out of desperation. It actually worked for me! Saved me hours of frustration.
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Cynthia Love
•Idk man, paying to talk to a government agency feels wrong. Shouldn't this be free?
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Ben Cooper
•I get where you're coming from, but for me, the time saved was worth the cost. To each their own tho 🤷♂️
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Darren Brooks
This happened to me last month! I sent an email explaining my situation and they actually moved my appointment to a closer location. Don't give up hope!
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Rosie Harper
the whole system is rigged against us i swear. why do they make everything so complicated?? 😤
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Elliott luviBorBatman
•Preach! 🙌 It's like they want us to give up or something.
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Demi Hall
Have you considered asking for a virtual examination instead? With COVID still around, some doctors are doing telemedicine appointments. Might be worth asking!
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Darcy Moore
•Oh wow, I didn't even think of that! That's a great idea, I'll definitely ask about it. Thanks!
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Mateusius Townsend
Just a heads up, make sure you keep copies of all your correspondence with EDD. It's saved my butt more than once when dealing with them.
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Lilah Brooks
I'm dealing with something similar right now - they scheduled me for an exam 4 hours away in Fresno when I'm in San Diego. From what I've researched, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation for location if the distance creates an undue hardship. I'd suggest mentioning in your email that the 12-hour round trip creates both financial and logistical hardship, especially if you're dealing with a disability. Also, reference the Americans with Disabilities Act - they're supposed to make reasonable accommodations. I'm planning to send my request certified mail so there's a paper trail. Keep us posted on how it goes!
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Emma Taylor
•This is super helpful advice! I didn't know about the ADA angle - that's really smart. The certified mail idea is brilliant too. Do you happen to know what specific email address or department I should send this to? I want to make sure it gets to the right people who can actually make the change.
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