Anger is growing among taxi drivers in Puy-de-Dôme. At issue: the establishment of a new agreement by the National Health Insurance Fund, deemed “totally unacceptable” by professionals.
Company
From daily life to major issues, discover the subjects that make up local society, such as justice, education, health and family.
France Télévisions uses your email address to send you the “Society” newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time via the link at the bottom of this newsletter. Our privacy policy
After farmers, civil servants and railway workers, it is the turn of taxis to step up: a new reform of the CNAM threatens, according to them, their survival. Indeed, a reform announced by the National Health Insurance Fund (CNAM) provides for a reduction in« environ 20 % » medical transport prices from 2025, according to the unions. This measure angers taxi drivers in Puy-de-Dôme. Already faced with high costs and falling margins, they say they are ready to mobilize to defend their future in the face of this reform which they consider catastrophic.
For Philippe Bru, vice-president of the Federation of Independent Taxis of Puy-de-Dôme (FTI 63), the situation has become unbearable. “The agreement with the CNAM is even tougher than the previous ones. We are constantly chipping away at our margins. It's unbearable. Our businesses and our cash flow are being undermined. »
He specifies: “Our vehicles are more and more expensive to buy and maintain, and social charges have continued to increase. But prices continue to fall. If this new agreement comes into force, we will lose 30 to 40% of our annual turnover. This is a huge loss for small businesses like ours. This reform will kill us. »
Philippe Bru takes the example of a journey for dialysis: “Today, a simple transport of around twenty kilometers costs around 40 euros. With the new agreement, this same journey would be charged 25 euros. You take away a third of our turnover, and you have our situation of tomorrow. » He warns that many colleagues, for whom medical transport represents their main activity, risk finding themselves bankrupt.
Drivers are not the only ones worried about this reform. In Riom, Nans Planat, a taxi driver for 15 years, confides: “Health transport represents 60% of my turnover. If we divide the price by two, in a year, it will no longer be viable. We are heading towards disaster. » He adds: “The VSL [véhicules sanitaires légers, NDLR] could become more competitive. But what really worries us is the competition that could come from large transport companies, like Uber or Bolt. These platforms could launch into medical transport and we, the small taxi artisans, will not be able to compete. This is to the detriment of the population who will need these services. »
The sector, already fragile, fears deregulation which would play into the hands of these giants of the digital economy, and which would deprive patients of quality services. Nans, like other drivers, is particularly worried about patients in rural areas, who largely rely on taxis for their medical trips.
Anthony Bru, another taxi driver, also expressed his exasperation with the situation: “Since 2019, our margins have been increasingly reduced. Operating costs, Urssaf, social security contributions… Everything is increasing, but our prices remain the same. It is our salaries which serve as an adjustment, and it no longer holds. » He specifies: “Health transport represents 75% of my turnover. If this drop in prices is confirmed, many of us will no longer be able to hold out. The situation is already critical, but with this reform, some taxis will have to close their doors. »
According to the drivers interviewed, the CNAM reform, which aims to rationalize health spending, could lead to a catastrophe in the health transport sector, both in economic and social terms. In a context of ever-increasing costs for taxis (insurance, fuel, vehicle maintenance, etc.), such a drop in revenue could be fatal for certain companies.
In this context, taxi drivers in Puy-de-Dôme do not intend to sit idly by. “If the CNAM sticks to its positions, we will go as far as Paris, if necessary, to make ourselves heard”promet Nans Planat. “It is difficult for us to leave our sick customers to demonstrate, but we have to. It's not just for us, but for the entire population. If this reform passes, many taxis will disappear, and it will be difficult to replace this essential local service. »
For Philippe Bru, “save money, yes, but not at any cost. The CNAM must understand that behind each medical transport, there is a human being to support. »
The taxi drivers of Puy-de-Dôme, united in their anger, are ready to defend their profession and the future of medical transport, a sector essential to many patients. A meeting is planned for Wednesday, November 20 to consider mobilization. The question now is whether the public authorities will listen to their demands.
