In 2022, Emily Stanislaus’ life changed. On a trip to visit her parents with her partner, Cristina Gutierrez, she fell off the roof of her parents’ home and landed on concrete, suffering a spinal cord injury that left her wheelchair-bound. Very suddenly, Stanislaus and Gutierrez had to navigate what Gutierrez calls the “disability tax”: the extra time, money, and energy required to survive as a disabled person.
Instead of being able to use the restroom like fulling-functioning adults, Stanislaus needed a catheter that cost $1,200. Their house needed to be renovated to include wheelchair ramps, standing frames, and other mobility aids. Normal life became significantly more expensive for the couple, and they knew this experience wasn’t unique. According to the National Disability Institute, households containing an adult with a work-disability require 29% more income than those without a disabled member to obtain the same standard of living.
When faced with this disability tax, Stanislaus and Gutierrez decided to come up with a solution. They launched Lotus Disability, a membership-based business bringing disability services straight to consumers at a discounted rate, last year. The mission was to make life more manageable ansd affordable for those living with a disability.
Lotus partners with different non-profits, medical establishment, and disability organizations to create a centralized marketplace for people to navigate disability. The marketplace includes discounted adaptive devices and equipment, access to personal care and well-being services, legal and financial help and career support.
“We’ve launched this ecosystem that includes a marketplace, peer support, and advocacy to help people,” Gutierrez told Rough Draft. “Part of our mission is to go to payers so that the [disabled] person never has to [pay] out of pocket for a benefit like this. So, we go to rehab centers, disability carriers, employers, non-profits, and anything serving the [disabled] population.”
While Lotus is a for-profit company, memberships are free for the consumer. This is accomplished through fiscal sponsors, which allow the business to take grants and donations. Through partners like the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Catalyst Sports, and Wheel the World, Lotus Disability members get access to free apps and resources as well as product and service partners offering members-only discounts.
There is currently a wait list to become a member of Lotus Disability. Those interested in joining the list and learning more about Lotus Disability can do so on the organization’s website.
