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[Kate Bishop]

We are a small systems-change agency addressing public policy issues affecting people with disabilities. Most of our staff of seven and numerous volunteers have significant disabilities.

Because we organize consumer coalitions across the state, we are subject to lots of risks. We have just received an estimate on our liability coverage, which is $4,000 to $5,000 per year. We haven't even discussed health or other insurance benefits.

Currently, we have no coverage of any kind. We are now expanding our funding base and have received our 501(c)3 status. The cost of benefit coverage is likely to be overwhelming. Unless funders are more sensitive to the reality of these costs, we could be forced to continue another year with no coverage.  

It is also likely that smaller groups such as ours have little or no chance of obtaining good benefit coverage for our hard-working staff. As a disability organization, the implications are pretty severe. A major reason people with disabilities have such high unemployment rates is the fact that they lose health-insurance coverage along with other benefits when they go to work. We are now in position that may force us to become part of the problem we are addressing as an organization rather than the solution.

Your article seems to imply that larger organizations have a better chance of obtaining coverage at lower rates. That leaves the numerous small nonprofit groups out in the cold.  We need to find ways to collaborate with other groups to expand the number of insured and have better bargaining power. I do not know of anything comparable in Indiana to California's CAN.

We also need to find insurers who will cover higher risk groups such as ours.

Private and corporate foundations need to be more sensitive to this issue. Until we have enough time to find ways to reduce these costs, we need their support to continue covering employees. For most of our staff, no coverage is not workable and those who are working and productive now, some for the first time in many years, will be forced to drop out.

I am interested in hearing how others are dealing with this dilemma, especially if you are a disability organization.

[L.M.]

My nonprofit group just lays people off whenever it hits a financial brick wall. It has also started taking key people and making them go part time and stripping them of benefits.

Today was my last day; the ax fell. I am self-supporting and terrified of ending up homeless.

Too much crisis management, never any foresight.