i live in ky, this was a new one on me, i started my claim 3 months ago for emphysema, had no medical records at all, have now seen 2 doctors SS sent me to, but i doubt they even have the doctors reports back yet. The thing is i got a call from another branch within my local SS office saying that the person dealing with my claim had approved me for presumptive benefits lasting 6 months until my claim was ruled on. Reading about it on line i see that case workers used to be leery of doing this because if denied later my record would seem to indicate at some point they thought i would be approved, and because they didnt want it on their case records that they were being too free with the money. All they are asking me is to verify that I have no large assets or pensions ect. It sounds too good to be true but I will do it. ** If you are filing and like me are broke, ask about the presumptive benefit payments.