Drivers are protesting against lower pricing for transporting patients.
Around 500 taxis demonstrated Tuesday morning near the National Assembly, to protest against lower pricing for the transport of patients, noted an AFP journalist. In order to make 300 million euros in savings on this medical transport, the Barnier government, threatened with censorship, wishes to force taxis and medical transporters to negotiate measures with Health Insurance, under penalty of imposed price reductions.
Between firecrackers and fireworks, taxis protested on the Esplanade des Invalides against this negotiation with Health Insurance and asked to be received by parliamentarians or the Ministry of Health, said Walid Hanida of the Team Taxi collective, at the origin of the manifestation. They were also demonstrating against online platforms like Uber Health that could arrive in the sector, “breaking the taximeter to destructure our economic and social model”underlined Walid Hanida.
Blockages Monday
Several hundred taxis had already participated in blockages or slowdowns in the Lyon metropolitan area and in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur on Monday. In 2023, more than 40,000 taxis were approved to transport sick people suffering from pathologies ranging from cancer to psychiatric illnesses, according to Health Insurance, or almost three quarters of taxis in France.
In rural areas, these medical transports represent the bulk of their income, described several taxi drivers demonstrating in Paris. Benoît, a 48-year-old Parisian taxi driver who did not wish to give his name, fears losing 30% to 40% of his income with the new scales. Mickaël Sommier, 52, came from Orléans (Loiret) on Tuesday morning and for his part fears that these packages and the use of platforms will transform taxis into VTCs. “We want to keep our light”launched the demonstrator.
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