Kaiser doctor confused about EDD SDI maternity paperwork + question about timing dad's baby bonding PFL

For your first question - yes, I went through this with Kaiser last year. What's happening is that EDD needs the DE2501 form fully completed by your doctor. Sometimes Kaiser doctors submit their own internal forms to EDD which aren't exactly what EDD wants. The supplemental certification they're asking for is probably because something was missing from what your doctor submitted. You need to be very specific with Kaiser - tell them EDD is requesting a "supplemental certification for the DE2501 Disability form" and that it needs to be completed fully including your diagnosis code, expected delivery date, and when you became disabled from working. Print out the notification from EDD and bring it to your next appointment. For your husband - good news! He doesn't have to take PFL baby bonding immediately after birth. The law allows him to take it anytime within the first 12 months after your baby is born. He just can't split it up into more than two separate periods. So he could wait several months if that works better for his job situation.

Kaiser is THE WORST with EDD paperwork!!!! I had this EXACT problem in 2024 and it delayed my benefits for almost 3 weeks!!!! My doctor kept saying she submitted everything but EDD kept saying they needed more info. It's like they don't talk to each other AT ALL. The trick is to talk to the DISABILITY COORDINATOR at your Kaiser facility, NOT just your OB. Every Kaiser has a disability department that handles all this paperwork. Your doctor probably DID submit something, but not the specific form EDD wants. UGH I get so mad thinking about this. I was 8 months pregnant calling everyone trying to get my money!!!!

Regarding your husband's baby bonding leave question: Your husband can definitely choose when to take his 8 weeks of Paid Family Leave for baby bonding. The law states that he can take it anytime within the first 12 months after the birth of your child. He is not required to take it immediately when the baby is born. However, there are a few important things to note: 1. He can split his 8 weeks into a maximum of two separate periods 2. He must provide his employer with 30 days notice (when possible) 3. He needs to file his PFL claim with EDD within 41 days of when he wants benefits to begin 4. He'll need a copy of the birth certificate when filing Many fathers do exactly what you're describing - wait until their work situation allows them to take time off, or time it when you're back at work so the baby has parental care for longer. Hope this helps!

I just had my baby 3 months ago and had Kaiser too. The problem is Kaiser has their own internal system and they don't understand what EDD needs lol. I ended up just grabbing all my paperwork from all my prenatal appontments and handed it to my doctor with the EDD form and told her exactly what to fill out. Otherwise they get confused because they think their standard note is enough but it's not. My husband took his bonding leave 2 months after baby was born because I had my mom staying with me at first. It worked out perfect!

Have you tried calling EDD to ask what exactly they need from your doctor? I was trying to call them for WEEKS about my maternity leave paperwork issues and could never get through - it was beyond frustrating. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual EDD representative in about 20 minutes. They have this demo video that explains how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 The EDD rep was able to tell me exactly what documentation was missing and I could then tell my doctor precisely what to submit. Saved me so much confusion and back-and-forth. Might be worth it if you're stuck in this paperwork limbo!

about your husbands leave - my bf took his 8 weeks when our baby was 4 months old! he wanted to save it for when i went back to work so baby didn't have to go to daycare right away. worked out great! just make sure he tells his work 30 days before he wants to start

Regarding the Kaiser paperwork issue - I recommend calling the Kaiser Release of Medical Information department directly. Their job is specifically to handle all paperwork going to outside entities like EDD. Each facility has their own department, but you can usually reach them through the main Kaiser line. Tell them you need a "completed DE2501 supplemental certification for EDD disability benefits" and they should handle it correctly. The problem is usually that the doctors think they've submitted enough information through their regular medical notes, but EDD specifically wants their own forms with specific fields completed in a specific way.

Since everyone's answered your main questions already - I just wanted to add my congratulations on your baby! This paperwork stuff is so stressful when you're pregnant or have a newborn. It gets better though! One thing I wish I'd known with my first baby was to keep copies of EVERYTHING. EDD somehow lost my paperwork twice during my maternity leave claim. Now I take pictures of every form before I submit it and keep a folder with dates of when everything was sent. Made dealing with my second maternity leave so much easier!

Just wanted to add one more tip about Kaiser and EDD paperwork - if you're still having trouble getting the right forms submitted, try asking for the "Disability Services Coordinator" at your specific Kaiser facility. They're different from the regular Release of Information office and specialize in employment-related medical documentation. I had to escalate to this person when my regular OB and even the ROI office couldn't get my paperwork right. The Disability Services Coordinator knew exactly what EDD needed and got it submitted correctly within 24 hours. Some Kaiser locations call them "Work Status Coordinators" instead, but they're the same role. Also, make sure when you talk to anyone at Kaiser that you mention this is for "California State Disability Insurance" specifically - sometimes they confuse it with other types of disability paperwork and send the wrong forms. Good luck with everything!

I went through this exact same situation with Kaiser just 6 months ago! The confusion is so real - it's like Kaiser and EDD speak completely different languages when it comes to paperwork. What worked for me was calling Kaiser's main number and specifically asking to be transferred to the "Disability and Leave Management" department. Don't let them transfer you to your regular OB's office - they often don't know how to handle the EDD-specific forms. The disability department has people who deal with EDD paperwork all day long. When you talk to them, be very specific: "EDD is requesting a supplemental medical certification for my State Disability Insurance claim, form DE2501." Have your EDD notification letter ready to read them the exact language of what's missing. For your husband's PFL - that flexibility is one of the best parts of the program! My partner took 4 weeks right after our baby was born, then saved the other 4 weeks for when I went back to work at 4 months. It was perfect timing because we avoided daycare costs for an extra month. Just make sure he gives his employer the 30-day notice and files his PFL claim within 41 days of when he wants benefits to start. The whole process is frustrating but you'll get through it! Hang in there mama! 💙

I'm dealing with a similar Kaiser/EDD paperwork nightmare right now! My baby is due in 6 weeks and I'm trying to get ahead of this mess after reading all these horror stories. One thing I learned from calling around is that Kaiser has a dedicated "Work and Disability Services" hotline that's separate from their main number - you might try searching for that on your specific Kaiser region's website. They supposedly have staff who only handle employment-related medical forms like the DE2501. Also, I've been told by other moms to get a copy of the blank DE2501 form from the EDD website and physically bring it to your doctor's appointment. That way there's no confusion about which specific form they need to complete. Some doctors have never seen the EDD forms before and just submit their own medical notes thinking that's sufficient. For the timing question about your husband's leave - I love hearing that so many dads are taking advantage of this! My husband is planning to do the same thing (save some weeks for when I go back to work). From what I've researched, California's PFL is actually pretty generous compared to other states with the 12-month window. Fingers crossed we all get through this paperwork maze! The system definitely needs to be more user-friendly for new parents who are already stressed enough! 🤞

As someone who just went through this Kaiser/EDD paperwork nightmare 2 months ago, I feel your pain! Here's what finally worked for me: 1. Call Kaiser's member services and ask to speak with a "Medical Records Release Specialist" - not your OB, not the general disability department. These are the people who specifically handle sending medical documents to outside agencies like EDD. 2. When you get them on the phone, say exactly this: "EDD has requested a supplemental medical certification for my State Disability Insurance claim. They need form DE2501 completed with specific medical details that weren't included in my doctor's initial submission." 3. Email yourself a copy of whatever EDD notification you received so you can forward it directly to the Medical Records person. They need to see the exact language EDD is using. The problem is that Kaiser doctors submit their standard "patient is disabled from work" notes, but EDD wants their specific form with diagnosis codes, specific disability dates, and treatment plans filled out in their exact format. Also, pro tip: once you get this sorted, screenshot everything in your EDD online account showing it was received. I had to resubmit paperwork twice because things got "lost" in their system. Your husband's timing flexibility is great news though! Many couples do exactly what you're planning - it's actually really smart to stagger your leaves so baby has parent care longer. Just make sure he keeps his employer in the loop about the timing. You've got this! The paperwork stress is temporary but so worth it for the benefits! 💪

I'm currently 6 months pregnant and reading through all of this is making me realize I need to get way more organized about this paperwork situation! It sounds like the key with Kaiser is being super specific about what EDD actually needs versus what Kaiser thinks they need. Question for those who went through this - did any of you have issues with the timing of when to submit the initial SDI claim? I'm trying to figure out if I should start the process now or wait until closer to my due date. My Kaiser OB mentioned something about not being able to submit disability paperwork "too early" but after reading all these comments about delays and missing documentation, I'm wondering if I should get the ball rolling sooner rather than later. Also wondering if anyone has tips for keeping track of all the different claim numbers, confirmation numbers, etc.? Between SDI for me and eventual PFL for my husband, it seems like there are going to be a lot of moving pieces to keep organized!

I'm going through something similar with Kaiser right now! Just wanted to add that if you're still having trouble getting through to the right department at Kaiser, try calling their Advice Nurse line and explaining that you need help with "employment disability paperwork for EDD." They've been really good at transferring me directly to someone who knows how to handle these forms. Also, I made the mistake of assuming my doctor knew what EDD wanted and it caused a 2-week delay in my benefits. Now I always bring printed copies of exactly what EDD is requesting and don't leave the appointment until I confirm they understand which specific form needs to be completed. One thing that helped me was creating a simple checklist on my phone of all the EDD requirements so I could read them directly to my doctor during appointments. Takes the guesswork out of it for both of us! Your husband's situation sounds perfect for the flexible timing option. My sister did exactly that - took some bonding leave right after birth, then saved the rest for when she went back to work. Made the transition so much easier for their family!

I'm dealing with almost the exact same Kaiser situation right now! My baby is 2 weeks old and I've been going in circles with this supplemental certification thing. What finally worked for me was calling Kaiser's central appointments line and saying "I need to speak with someone about completing EDD State Disability paperwork - specifically form DE2501." They transferred me to what they called the "Disability Services Unit" and those people actually knew what I was talking about! The person I spoke with explained that Kaiser doctors often submit their own internal disability notes, but EDD has very specific requirements for their DE2501 form that need to be filled out exactly right - things like specific diagnosis codes, exact dates when you became unable to work, and detailed treatment plans. She told me to bring both the EDD notification letter AND a printed copy of the blank DE2501 form to my next appointment, then sit there while my doctor fills it out completely. Don't leave until you see them submit it through the right system! For your husband's PFL timing - we're planning the exact same thing! He's taking 2 weeks right after birth, then saving the other 6 weeks for when I go back to work in a few months. The EDD rep I spoke with confirmed this is totally allowed as long as it's within 12 months and split into no more than 2 periods. Hang in there - the paperwork nightmare does eventually get sorted out! 💙

I'm going through this exact Kaiser/EDD paperwork mess right now too! Just had my baby 3 weeks ago and I'm still waiting for my SDI benefits because of missing documentation. What I've learned from calling around is that you need to ask Kaiser specifically for their "Medical Review Department" - they handle all third-party medical forms including EDD paperwork. Regular OB offices and even some disability coordinators don't always know the specific EDD requirements. When you call, be super specific: "I need form DE2501 completed for California State Disability Insurance, and EDD has requested supplemental medical certification." Then email them the exact notification you received from EDD so they can see what's missing. Also, definitely push for an in-person appointment to get this done rather than trying to handle it over the phone. I wasted 2 weeks trying to explain what was needed via phone calls before finally going in person with all the paperwork. For your husband's PFL - that flexibility is amazing! We're doing something similar where he took 1 week initially and is saving the other 7 weeks for when I go back to work. Just make sure he keeps good documentation of when he notifies his employer about the timing changes. This whole system is so unnecessarily complicated for new parents who already have enough to deal with! But you'll get through it - just be persistent with Kaiser about getting the right people involved. Good luck! 🍀