“We will make new proposals to taxi representatives very soon,” announces Health Insurance

Some 40,000 taxis provide medical transport. This represents an annual expenditure of three billion euros for Health Insurance, which seeks to make savings via “a more efficient, more understandable system”, explains its general director while taxis demonstrate against new pricing for medical transport.

“We are going to make new proposals to the taxi representatives very soon, we are not at the end of the discussions at all,” assured Monday December 2 on franceinfo Thomas Fatôme, general director of the National Health Insurance Fund, while several snail operations are carried out in several departments by taxis who denounce the new pricing for medical transport.

Discussions “are not fixed, we are in a phase of dialogue, we understand the reactions of taxis”he added. A draft framework agreement plans to go from around 1.50 euros per kilometer for medical transport to 1 euro per kilometer. “Of course”it can change, he emphasizes.

Some taxis mention a significant drop in turnover if this new pricing were applied. “We are not at all in the order of magnitude that I sometimes hear of 30 to 40 % drop in turnover. This is not at all the economic framework that we are proposing today.”affirms Thomas Fatôme. The general director of the National Health Insurance Fund has challenged some preconceived ideas about the scope of this new agreement: “There is absolutely no question of calling into question the role of taxis. Several million patients are transported by taxi drivers. We want a more efficient, more understandable system, which allows for better patient care and which also ensures economic viability for taxis”, he explained.

Around 40,000 taxis provide medical transport. This represents an annual expenditure of 3 billion euros for Health Insurance. “There is obviously no question of transporting any patient in any condition to provide shared transport. There is obviously no question of no longer paying for waiting time” for taxis, he assured. “We can save money by better organizing the system”he insists. The main message from Thomas Fatôme “is dialogue, discussion, consultation”. It is located “resolutely in dialogue” and doesn't want to stare “deadline” for discussions. He wishes we could “find a landing point” with taxis “in the coming weeks.”