Transport of patients: new health insurance pricing for taxis

On Thursday, May 15, the Health Insurance presented the new pricing that will apply to the transport of patients in approved taxis , a subject that greatly worries the profession.

This new pricing , which still needs to be approved by the government, should come into effect on October 1, 2025 , according to Health Insurance.

It is part of an effort to better control the growth in spending on medical transport, which amounted to 6.74 billion euros in 2024, including 3.07 billion for licensed taxis (+45% since 2019).

"We need to adapt the model to make it sustainable over time," said Thomas Fatôme, director general of the National Health Insurance Fund.

To replace the "gas factory" currently in force, the Health Insurance wants to establish a single model across the entire territory , explained Marguerite Cazeneuve, the number 2 at the Cnam.

13 euro package and mileage pricing

Taxis will be paid on the basis of a flat rate of 13 euros (with an increase for departures and arrivals in large urban areas) and a mileage rate aligned with the rate set in each department .

"Targeted supplements" will be possible, for example for the transport of people with reduced mobility . "The new pricing will be favorable to licensed taxis in two-thirds of departments, particularly rural ones," said Marguerite Cazeneuve.

In the remaining third, taxis "could benefit if they do fewer empty trips," she said. "When a taxi takes a customer to the hospital today, it's more in their interest to return empty, that's what we want to change," she said.

In particular, the Health Insurance wants hospitals to develop "transport platforms" centralizing requests , to rationalize the comings and goings of taxis and avoid empty returns and long waiting periods for vehicles.

Geolocation

To help combat fraud , health insurance will also request the widespread use of billing software linked to geolocation devices.

The geolocation device must be installed by " January 1, 2027 at the latest," Ms. Cazeneuve said.

Health insurance may also refuse to contract new taxis when the department has sufficient density.

Taxi drivers have demonstrated several times in recent months to express their concerns about the health insurance plans.