For the third consecutive day, the taxis of Haute-Loire, united under the banner of the union of artisan taxis of Haute-Loire (SAT 43), are mobilized this Wednesday, December 4 in Puy-en-Velay. Already on Monday and Tuesday, around fifty taxis from the department converged at 3 a.m. to Lyon for a spectacular operation to block the city for 48 hours.
Wednesday morning, they started at 6 a.m. in front of the premises of the CPAM, the primary health insurance fund, blocking Avenue André Soulier in Le Puy with around forty taxis. A first delegation was received by the union within the CPAM around 9:30 a.m. This choice of the CPAM on Wednesday morning was highly symbolic for them, because the “Secu” plans to lower the price per kilometer for patient transport carried out by taxis.
“We must clearly see that the “transport voucher” (usual name for the medical transport prescription, Editor’s note), is issued by the doctor. We are dependent on this. With the evolution of medicine and hospital practices, we has many more patients and operations on an outpatient basis, that is to say during the day, to avoid hospitalization over several days. This has reduced hospitalization costs for Social Security” recalls Lionel Giraud, vice-president. of the craftsmen's union Haute-Loire taxis.
“This will kill taxis”
“Each time, it’s a transport voucher, which has increased our activity. And today, we are told: “you have worked too much! “We're walking on our heads! Everything has increased for us too: salaries, fuel, charges… What is planned is a 30 to 50% reduction in the price reimbursed per km for the period of 2025 to 2029…” notes the man who is also co-manager of Sainte-Sigolène Assistance. A decline which today seriously worries taxis about the sustainability of their businesses. “Health transport today represents, all combined, 3% of the Social Security budget! And they want to tell us that the deficit is because of us,” denounces the president of the union Eric Tavernier. “In a rural department like Haute-Loire, this will kill taxis and further increase medical desertification” fear the Altiligarian taxis.
After the CPAM, the Haute-Loire taxis planned to go on Tuesday in convoy and at reduced speed, to the Puy-en-Velay prefecture, then to the Émile-Roux hospital where they must be received by the director of the hospital center.
