Formal petition made to the Department of Veterans Affairs to classify Inclusion Body Myositis as a presumptive service-connected disability

A bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers, led by U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), has formally petitioned the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to classify Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM) as a presumptive service-connected disability.

IBM is a progressive, incurable neuromuscular condition that shares significant clinical and pathological characteristics with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Despite data from The Myositis Association indicating that IBM is more than ten times as prevalent among military veterans compared to civilians—roughly 189 cases per million veterans versus 15 per million civilians—the VA currently lacks a presumptive pathway for IBM claims. Consequently, affected veterans face a lengthy individualized claims process that carries an estimated 82% denial rate, forcing many into prolonged appeals to secure benefits.

In their letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins, lawmakers emphasized that veterans diagnosed with IBM experience accelerated onset, severe…