When must doctor submit Part B of EDD SDI claim form? Urgent deadline question
I'm out on medical leave and just filed my EDD SDI claim last week. I completed Part A of the claim form and my doctor has Part B to fill out. I'm stressing because I can't remember what the deadline is for them to submit their portion. The receptionist at my doctor's office mentioned something about 49 days, but that seems really long? I'm worried my claim will be denied if they take too long. Does anyone know the actual deadline for when doctors need to submit their portion of the disability paperwork? And what happens if they miss the deadline? Will I lose my benefits entirely?
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Tristan Carpenter
same thing happened to me. my doc took like 3 weeks to send in the form and my claim was fine
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Maya Jackson
•Really? That's a relief. Did EDD contact you about the delay or anything? I'm panicking because I have rent due soon and really need this claim processed.
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Amaya Watson
The receptionist is actually correct - your doctor has up to 49 days from the date your disability began to submit Part B of the form (the medical certification). It's in California Unemployment Insurance Code Section 2706. However, your claim can't be processed until your doctor submits their portion, so you should encourage them to complete it as soon as possible. Keep in mind that if your doctor submits it beyond the 49 days, you'll need a letter explaining the good cause for the delay. Late submission doesn't automatically mean denial, but it does complicate things.
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Maya Jackson
•Thank you so much for the detailed information! I've been calling my doctor's office every day but they keep saying they have a backlog of paperwork. Would it help if I went in person to ask them to prioritize my form?
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Amaya Watson
•Going in person can sometimes help. Explain your financial situation and that you can't receive benefits until they submit the form. Another option is asking if they can submit it electronically through SDI Online rather than by mail, which is much faster.
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Grant Vikers
The 49 days is correct but don't wait that long!!!!! My doctor took 6 weeks to file Part B and my landlord almost evicted me because my benefits were delayed so much. I wish someone had warned me how long the whole process would take. Keep bugging your doctor EVERY DAY until they submit it!!
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Giovanni Martello
•This is where so many claims get stuck. If you're having trouble getting your doctor to submit, try speaking directly with the office manager or the medical records department. They usually handle EDD paperwork. Also, make sure they have all the correct information like your claim number, SSN, etc. so there are no delays once they do complete it.
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Savannah Weiner
both my doctor and EDD caused problems w/my claim last year. kept getting ping-ponged between them for weeks. doctor said they submitted form, EDD said they never got it, doctor resent it, EDD lost it... total nightmare!!
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Levi Parker
•I went through the same exact thing! Called EDD like 50 times and couldn't get through to anyone. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an actual EDD representative in about 15 minutes. They confirmed my doctor's certification had been received but was sitting in some processing queue. Got my claim approved the next day. Check out their video if you're curious how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd - totally worth it when you're desperate to get through.
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Libby Hassan
When I had to file for disability after my surgery, my doctor actually submitted Part B before I even submitted Part A! It doesn't matter which order they're submitted as long as EDD gets both parts within that 49-day window. The clock starts ticking from your disability start date, not from when you file your portion. Also important - make sure your doctor uses the exact same diagnosis and disability start date that you put on your form. If there are discrepancies, it can cause delays while EDD tries to resolve them.
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Hunter Hampton
•actually i think ur wrong about the order. my neighbor is an HR person and she said part A has to be filed first because otherwise the system doesnt know where to match the doctors form to
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Libby Hassan
•I'm speaking from direct experience with the EDD SDI system as recently as January 2025. The system assigns a claim based on your SSN and personal information, not just the claim number. My doctor submitted Part B electronically through SDI Online about a week before I submitted Part A, and my claim was processed without issues. But you're right that ideally they should be submitted close together to avoid potential matching problems.
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Maya Jackson
Update: I finally got my doctor's office to submit Part B yesterday! The medical records coordinator told me that while the 49-day deadline is technically true, insurance companies and EDD prefer to receive it within 30 days of the disability start date. She expedited mine when I explained my financial situation. Now fingers crossed it processes quickly! Thanks for all the advice everyone.
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Giovanni Martello
•Great to hear! For anyone else reading this thread - if you don't see your claim status update within 7-10 days after your doctor submits Part B, call EDD. Sometimes the medical certification gets held up in their review process, especially if your doctor submitted via mail rather than electronically. You can also check your claim status through your SDI Online account which sometimes updates faster than the mailed notices.
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Lia Quinn
Maya, glad you got your doctor to submit Part B! Just want to add for others who might be reading this - if your doctor's office is being slow, you can also ask them to fax the form directly to EDD at (916) 464-3291. I've found that faxing is often faster than their electronic submission system, especially for smaller medical offices that don't use SDI Online regularly. Also, always ask for a fax confirmation receipt so you have proof it was sent in case there are any issues later. Hope your claim processes smoothly!
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Malik Robinson
•That's really helpful advice about the fax option! I had no idea there was a direct fax number for EDD. My sister went through this process last year and her doctor's office said they could only mail the forms, which took forever. I'm bookmarking that fax number (916) 464-3291 in case I ever need it. The fax confirmation receipt tip is smart too - seems like having that paper trail could save a lot of headaches if something goes wrong. Thanks for sharing!
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Evelyn Kim
Just want to add another option that helped me when I was in a similar situation - if your doctor's office has a patient portal, sometimes you can message them directly through there about urgent paperwork like EDD forms. I found that portal messages often get responded to faster than phone calls because they go directly to the medical staff rather than getting filtered through the front desk. Also, having your request in writing through the portal creates a record that you asked for the form to be prioritized. Worth trying if phone calls aren't getting you anywhere!
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Niko Ramsey
•That's a great tip about using the patient portal! I never thought of that approach. It makes sense that written requests would get more attention than just calling. I'm dealing with a similar situation right now where my doctor's office keeps saying they'll "get to it" when I call. Going to try messaging through their portal today and see if that gets a faster response. Having everything documented is definitely smart too in case there are any disputes later about when I requested the form to be completed.
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