How to extend EDD SDI claim with postpartum therapy documentation?

i think u need a new claim for this? its not really an extension its like a new issue technically? postpartum depression is diff than pregnancy disability iirc

Your social worker is right about extending, but it's not something you do through the online portal. For postpartum mental health conditions following a pregnancy claim, you need to have your mental health provider submit a supplemental medical certification (DE 2501) specifically for the postpartum depression diagnosis. This will essentially continue your claim but with a different medical reason. You won't upload the therapist letter yourself - the medical provider needs to submit the certification directly to EDD. Call your therapist's office and make sure they know they need to submit this form ASAP. They can usually fax it directly to EDD. Also, call EDD to notify them about the transition from pregnancy disability to postpartum depression disability. This helps prevent any gaps in payment.

same thing happened to me last year!! my regular pregnancy disability ended and then i got diagnosed with PPD. the most important thing is having your therapist submit that form ASAP because there can be delays. also make sure they use the right diagnosis codes or it'll get rejected (ask them to specifically note it's postpartum depression, not just depression

I had about a 2 week gap before payments started again, but they did backpay me for those weeks once it got approved. Just make sure your therapist submits that paperwork ASAP!!

I went through this exact situation in January! You actually DO need to file a new claim if your original pregnancy disability claim has already ended. If it hasn't officially ended yet, then your doctor can submit a form to extend it. Based on your timeline (ending 3/18 and already received last payment), you'll likely need a new claim. Your therapist needs to complete a new DE 2501 form with the postpartum depression diagnosis and submit it. You'll need to complete a new claim form as well. One thing that helped me tremendously was using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to actually get through to an EDD agent. I was stuck in the same confusion, and after trying for days to get through on the phone, I used their service and got connected with an agent in about 20 minutes who walked me through exactly what I needed to do. They have a video demo here if you want to see how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd The agent clarified everything and even noted in my file that I had new medical documentation coming in.

I want to clarify something important - whether you need a new claim or an extension depends on timing: 1) If your pregnancy disability claim is still active (not past end date): Your doctor submits a supplemental certification to EXTEND the existing claim. 2) If your pregnancy disability claim has already ended: You need to file a NEW claim for the postpartum depression, with new DE 2501 from your therapist. Since you mentioned your claim ended 3/18 and you already received your last payment, you likely need a new claim. There's a 7-day waiting period for new claims, but you can have your doctor backdate the start date to minimize gaps. This distinction causes a lot of confusion!

Just to add some helpful information: when filing a new claim for postpartum depression after pregnancy disability, make sure to: 1. Have your therapist use diagnosis code F53.0 (Postpartum depression) specifically on the DE 2501 form 2. Note in your claim that this is continuing care related to your pregnancy 3. If you're breastfeeding, mention that as well as it can sometimes affect approval 4. Keep documentation of all your therapy appointments The connection between your pregnancy disability and postpartum condition should be clearly established to help with claim processing. Also, be aware that postpartum claims can be approved for up to a year after delivery, depending on the severity and medical necessity.

when i had my baby in 2023 i had regular disability then i got ppd and had to get a new claim. took FOREVER to get approved but they did backpay everything. make sure u save all ur $$$ just in case there's a gap!!! also my therapist had to submit paperwork multiple times because edd kept "losing" it 🙄

Quick update: I just checked and the 7-day waiting period is actually waived when transitioning from pregnancy disability to PPD disability if there's no gap in time between them. So if you file your new claim with a start date immediately following your pregnancy claim end date, you shouldn't have to do another waiting period. Just ask your therapist to date the medical certification for the day after your pregnancy disability ended.

I'm new to this community but going through something similar - my pregnancy disability just ended and I'm dealing with postpartum anxiety. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! It sounds like since your claim already ended on 3/18, you'll need to file a new claim rather than extend. One thing I learned from my OB's office is that they recommend calling EDD first to let them know you're filing a new claim for a related postpartum condition - apparently this can help flag your case and reduce processing delays. Also, make sure your therapist includes in their notes that the PPD is directly related to your recent pregnancy and delivery. The waiting period waiver mentioned by NebulaNomad is huge - I had no idea about that! Definitely going to ask my doctor to backdate appropriately. Good luck with everything, and thank you everyone for sharing your experiences!

I am in a dilemma. My last payment for PDI was 10/14. But I gave birth on 8/23 and my first day back was supposed to be 10/6 but EDD Payed me until 10-14? Im facing PPD and called my psych office and they are telling me I need to submit a new claim and they can’t extend original claim since original claim I had a different doctor and no PPD diagnosis. I called EDD and they said all I needed was to have my new doctor fill in extension form not make a new claim since PPD is due to pregnancy? But most threads I’m reading say to make a new claim please advise

This thread is amazing and so helpful. After my gyno refused to extend my leave for postpartum depression, I got EDD extension at Lifeline Walk-In Clinic in Torrance. Hope this helps someone, because it was a nightmare finding anyone who cared