I can tell you that about 16% of our files are for women. Part of what we are dealing with is a historical disadvantage that women have faced. If we look back and take responsibility, we see that women were denied at a higher rate. They were withheld. They got partial entitlement at a higher rate. For example, in my experience, pregnancy may be a risk factor in just about half of the conditions. Often, if a woman was pregnant, part of her entitlement was withheld even though, when we look at it objectively, the evidence doesn't necessarily suggest.... Women have faced a harder burden. Our experience has been that they tell us—and it's true—that they interact with a medical system that is essentially made for men. That has been the challenge. I don't think there's anything particularly different in the nature of the claims. They make claims for back injuries, neck injuries, leg injuries and PTSD. They have all the same types of files. It is about how they interact with the system and how they have been treated on those files; for example, not necessarily being seen as combat when in fact they were combat veterans.
On June 19th, 2023. See this statement in context.