We can help with forms and letters.

OSS knows that sometimes patients must modify their activities of daily living to recover.  Why?  Patients will need to modify because they have just had surgery, are still in pain or injured, their ability to move has been restricted by a cast, brace or splint.  
 

When is a good time to ask for special work and activity authorization from OSS?

• Getting treated in-office with no surgery.
  Talk to your orthopaedic doctor during the office appointment.  Your doctor will then fill out the Authorization for Work & Special Accommodations form.  The OSS check out team will scan it into your chart and you will take the form home. 
• Planning and getting orthopaedic surgery.  
  If you are having surgery with an OSS orthopaedic doctor, then the doctor’s surgery coordinator will email you the Authorization for Work & Special Accommodations form (typically done on the date of surgery) that shows if you have been approved or declined for special work or daily living accommodations. You will not get this form until the day of surgery. 

Authorization for Work & Special Accommodations Form

If your provider authorized work or special driving accommodations, then the OSS provider or OSS Check Out team will hand you a completed Authorization for Work & Special Accommodations Form so you can take it home. This form is your “receipt” that the OSS doctor approved the request.  This form will allow you to then request form help with different agencies (e.g., EDD).   If you did NOT get the Authorization for Work & Special Accommodations Form from OSS AND your doctor verbally approved the work or special accommodations, please email forms@ossburbank.com.   In the email, please include your last name name, first name initial and date of birth.  Also include the date of your office visit. We will get back to you within 2 business days.  

How We Can Help with EDD, Private Insurance, FMLA

1. REQUIRED.  Get approval (authorization) from the orthopaedic doctor for disability benefits. Again, the best time to get this authorization is at your appointment with the provider.        
    
2. At home, go to edd.ca.gov or to the appropriate agency site and fill out the patient section on the form.  
   
   EDD:  If applying for EDD for the first time, you'll need the 16 character EDD alpanumerical receipt code to show evidence you completed the patient section.  If you are applying for an extension to your EDD, you will not need the EDD receipt code. You'll just need to upload the OSS Authorization form.  Click HERE to see quick, easy EDD steps.
   
   Private Insurance or FMLA: If you are applying for an extension and OSS already filled out the provider section for that agency's disability form, you will still need to re-submit the form to Healthmark.  Again, you only need to fill out the patient section.  OSS / Healthmark will handle filling out the provider section. Again, Healthmark will NOT be able to use the original form OSS and you submitted.  
    
3. Go to the Healthmark Portal now to get started. Click this HEALTHMARK link.
    

Considerations

• Give Healthmark 7 to 10 business days to do its part.
• Want status?  Help with the Healthmark portal?  
  Call: (800) 659-4035. 
  Then….Press option 1 (patient), then option 2 (disability), then option 2 (existing) between 8:00 am to 5:00 pm CST so you talk to a LIVE representative. 
• Processing Fee - Effective 1/17/2024, first time EDD is $25 and to extend your EDD is $10.  Private Insurance or FMLA? $35.
• Healthmark is closed for these holidays: Thanksgiving Day (11/23/23), Christmas Day (12/25/23), New Years Day (01/01/24), Memorial Day (05/27/24), Independence Day (07/5/24), Labor Day (09/02/24), Thanksgiving Day (11/28/24), Christmas (12/25/24)
• According to the California EDD website, it can take at least 14 days to process a new or extension to state income disability benefits. 

How We Can Help with a DMV Handicap Placard

OSS will fill out the State of California DMV handicap form only if you and your doctor has discussed this in the exam room and your doctor approved the modified driving accommodation request based on your condition and on his / her clinical judgement. OSS will only issue short term (3 or 6 months) handicap placards.

If authorized, please request the DMV form completion when you are checking out of your office appointment.  It will take the OSS team approximately 20 minutes to complete; there is a processing fee of $10 and the OSS office has the form.  

You would take the form to the DMV or to your local American Automobile Association. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I have to do before I start filling out disability forms?

You must ask the OSS orthopaedic provider if the provider will approve the request for special work / life accommodations (e.g., EDD / private insurance income support, FMLA job protection, school excusal, handicap placard, etc.). The best time time to do this is when you meet with your provider in the exam room. All disability requests must be authorized by an orthopaedic doctor.  If you meet with a PA, the PA will then consult the orthopaedic doctor for final approval. 

How do I know when Healthmark is done with the EDD, FMLA or private insurance form?

You will receive an email from Healthmark (fmla@healthmark-group.com) and the email should have this message:   "Hello, your disability paperwork has been completed and sent out to the requesting party. If you have made a payment online you may now log into your dashboard to download a copy of your completed paperwork by visiting https://requestmanager.healthmark-group.com/register. If you did not make a payment online and would like to obtain a copy of your paperwork, please email fmla@healthmark-group.com. If you have any questions, please contact us at fmla@healthmark-group.com. Thank you, HealthMark Forms Team"

Will the OSS orthopaedic surgeon always approve my request?

No.  Your provider will only authorize the special accommodation if she/he thinks it's necessary.  Factors that are considered include: your age,  your profession (your job duties), the type of injury you have had, the medical condition and the prescribed treatment.  

Will OSS complete the entire disability form?

No. You'll need to fill out the patient section on the form and then Healthmark / OSS will fill out the provider section.  

What happens if the expected recovery for my orthopaedic condition is just a couple of days?

Many patients chose to use their vacation days instead of applying for disability benefits because the recovery period for certain procedures is short.

Does Healthmark handle both new and extensions to disability requests? 

Healthmark will handle both new and/or extensions to disability requests if your orthopaedic doctor has authorized your request.  

The EDD form is electronic.  What paper do I upload into Healthmark?

Please upload the OSS Authorization sheet instead.  Click here to view quick steps. 

When do I pay Healthmark? 

Healthmark will send you an email that has a link to the invoice once it has completed the form and your doctor has signed it. You'll typically receive this email within 5 to 7 business days. 
 

I get a lot of emails in my inbox.  What email should I search in my email inbox if I applied for EDD disability form help from Healthmark and I now want status?
Please search for this email address in your inbox: fmla@healthmark-group.com.  If you see this in the subject line - “Form Delivered - Process Complete | Healthmark Group”, you'll know that Healthmark has completed its section on the form and sent it to EDD.  If you still have questions, contact EDD. 
 

Can I just ask an OSS team member by phone or by email for the special work or driving authorization? 

An OSS team member will only give the authorization if you and your doctor have discussed it previously and your doctor approved it. 

Who can I contact at OSS if I still have questions regarding my EDD, FMLA, or private insurance disability benefits?

Send an email to: forms@ossburbank.com.  An OSS staff member will get back to you in 24 hours.