Medical taxis: everything you need to know about non-emergency patient transport in France

A taxi can sometimes become an essential part of life, notably when somebody with reduced mobility needs to get somewhere important. In France the cost of taking a medical taxi or ‘medicar‘ can often be covered by the social security. It is often a necessity and our society has found a solution. So how should one go about organising non emergency transportation? We will see below the available types of taxis for people with disabilities or reduced mobility and give some advice on how to go about booking private patient transport in France.

Wheelchair accessible taxis

Taking a taxi with a wheelchair is not always an easy thing to do. Apprehension , fear of being a bother or lack of independence can be some of the feelings felt by people with wheel chairs which might make them think twice about taking a taxi. However there are many taxi companies that offer wheelchair accessible taxis and are more than happy to take people in wheelchairs aboard. Among them, the company G7 and in particular its Horizon service or the Parisian company PMR, one of the most well known in the capital. These accessible taxis are just like other taxis, available seven days a week at any hour, and the prices are the same as with a regular taxi journey. An access ramp, a loading lift, a vehicle with room for up to eight people and trained personnel will all be readily available. Accessible taxis run around the clock in the capital and are often available elsewhere in other major cities in France.

Taxis for people with limited mobility: our advice

Taking a taxi with a wheelchair or even while on crutches or otherwise impaired might seem difficult or maybe even unfeasible. However with many accessible taxis available in France these days all you need to do is be sure to order the appropriate vehicle at the time of booking and check that the company also offers assistance with getting aboard the vehicle and loading any essential equipment. So there is no need to worry, there are many taxis in France that are specially adapted and will be able to get you where you need to go. It is even a social political responsibility for cities in France to provide a certain number of social security taxis. What this means is that according to your situation your journey could be fully or partly refundable by the state as part of your social security or medical insurance. Our advice is to contact directly the CPAM (Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie) to discuss the options available to you. They can be reached over the phone (on 3646) or by e-mail where you can discuss the various vehicles and social security taxis services available in your area.

Social security taxis: what exactly are they?

So what exactly is a social security taxi? In French they would be called a taxi conventionné and in simple terms it is a way of describing any vehicle that offers journeys that can be reimbursed by the CPAM. The main reason for this service of social security taxis being made available is to facilitate non-emergency patient transport. Often the CPAM will cover the costs of a journey to and from hospital or to a medical appointment of any nature – basically anything health related that doesn’t call for an actual ambulance: for example a post operational consultation or even just a check up. It all very much depends on the particular situation and insurance of each individual, but what you should know is that there are all types of private patient transport available in France, so there will be the right vehicle available for you, the rest is a case of figuring out if it is covered by your insurance.

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