EDD Disability Part B timeline - How long should I wait for doctor to complete?
So I filed for State Disability Insurance on January 16th and submitted my portion (Part A) through the SDI Online portal. I immediately called my doctor to let them know they need to complete Part B of my claim. The receptionist said they would mail the form rather than submit it electronically. Now I've received a notification from EDD saying I need to contact my doctor about Part B. It's been about a week, and I'm getting anxious because I really need these benefits to start. Has anyone dealt with the paper form process? How long should I reasonably wait before panicking? Is there a deadline for doctors to submit Part B? I'm worried my claim will be denied if it takes too long.
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Carmen Lopez
Doctors have 9 business days to submit Part B after you file your portion. If they don't submit within that timeframe, EDD might send you that notification as a reminder. I'd recommend calling your doctor again to make sure they've actually mailed it. Sometimes they say they'll do it but then it sits on someone's desk for days. Ask them if they can confirm the date it was mailed, and maybe request a tracking number if possible.
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Yuki Ito
•Thanks for the info! I had no idea there was a 9-day requirement. I'll call them first thing tomorrow morning to check on the status. Do you know if EDD will automatically deny my claim if it goes past this timeline or do they usually give some flexibility?
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AstroAdventurer
my doc took almost 3 weeks to send in part B last year and my claim was still approved. dont panic yet but def follow up with them
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Yuki Ito
•That's reassuring to hear! Did you have to do anything special to keep your claim active while waiting for the doctor's paperwork?
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Andre Dupont
The technical requirement is that physicians complete Part B within 9 business days, but EDD does recognize that medical offices can be slow with paperwork. What I recommend is: 1) Call your doctor daily until they confirm it's been sent 2) Ask if they can provide proof of submission (like a fax confirmation or tracking number) 3) Contact EDD and let them know your doctor is processing the paperwork but using the mail method 4) Document all communication with both your doctor and EDD If your doctor continues to delay, you might consider using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with an EDD representative quickly. They can sometimes place notes on your account about the situation. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•I actually used Claimyr last month when my SDI claim was stuck in limbo. It was worth it to actually get through to a real person after trying for days on my own!
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Jamal Wilson
Be careful about the timeline. If your doctor doesn't submit Part B within 30 days of your disability start date (not your filing date), there could be issues. EDD might consider your claim incomplete and you'd have to start over. I experienced this personally and it was a NIGHTMARE!! This is especially true if you're filing a claim for mental health reasons where the doctor might take longer with the paperwork.
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Yuki Ito
•Oh no, that sounds terrible! My disability start date was January 12th, so I'm already getting close to that 30-day mark. I'll definitely call them tomorrow and emphasize the urgency.
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Mei Lin
Has ur doctor ever fild these before? Sometimes doctors offices dont kno what to do with these forms and thats why they take so long. Might be worth asking to speak to office manager or someone who specifically handles disability paperwork at your doctors office.
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Carmen Lopez
•This is excellent advice. Many doctors' offices have a specific person who handles all disability paperwork. If you can identify and speak directly with that person, it can speed things up significantly.
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Liam Fitzgerald
my situation was different but sorta related... when i filed for SSDI (not state disability) my doctor took FOREVER on paperwork. almost lost my claim. doctors are SO BUSY these days they just dont prioritize our paperwork. be super nice but super persistent. call every day. bring them cookies if u have to lol
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Carmen Lopez
One other thing to keep in mind - while the doctor has a required timeline, your claim won't necessarily be denied if they're late. EDD tends to be more concerned with whether the medical information substantiates your disability claim rather than strict adherence to submission deadlines. But the notification you received is definitely a sign you should follow up with your doctor ASAP.
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Yuki Ito
•That's really helpful context, thank you! I'm going to call them tomorrow and if they haven't sent it yet, I'll ask if they can submit it electronically instead of by mail to save time.
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AstroAdventurer
did u check ur SDI Online account? sometimes it will show if they recieved part B even if they havent processed it yet
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Yuki Ito
•I just checked and it still shows "Medical Certification Not Received" under the claim status. I guess that means they definitely haven't gotten it yet.
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Jamal Wilson
UPDATE REQUEST: Did you get this resolved? I'm curious because I'm about to file my own SDI claim and want to learn from your experience!
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Yuki Ito
•I called my doctor's office this morning and apparently they hadn't sent it yet! They had it filled out but it was sitting in some outgoing mail pile. They're going to fax it today instead of mailing it. The office manager apologized and said they've been swamped. Lesson learned: always follow up aggressively with medical paperwork!
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Avery Davis
•Wow, glad you got it sorted out! That's such a common issue - paperwork just sitting around in medical offices. Thanks for the update, this is really helpful to know. I'll definitely be calling my doctor right after I submit Part A to make sure they prioritize it. Did EDD give you any indication of how long it will take to process once they receive the faxed form?
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