On Wednesday, private ambulance workers are called to a day of strike action and demonstrations. In cities, there will be scrubs, vehicles, signs, and above all, a simple message: the company's finances are in crisis. The sector, discreet by nature because it works while others sleep, wants its financial difficulties to be heard this time.
On franceinfo, Dominique Hunault, president of the National Chamber of Ambulance Services (CNSA), describes a rapid decline. "Over the last six months, the number of business failures has tripled," he states. The industry comprises just under 5,000 companies, and 150 are currently involved in administrative or legal proceedings, a sign of a fragile, often local, business landscape that rarely enjoys comfortable profit margins.
When the accounts can no longer keep up, the alarm bells start ringing.
At the heart of the conflict is money, always money, but in a very concrete form: rates deemed too low compared to the costs. The union is pointing to the reimbursement from the national health insurance system, with an average rate of €64 per hour for mobilizing two paramedics, a vehicle, and the associated equipment. However, some costs, such as equipment, would still be borne by the companies, which amounts to running the meter without the corresponding revenue.
The demands revolve around three key points: an emergency fund to prevent bankruptcies, the opening of negotiations with the national health insurance system on a "sustainable" economic model, and adherence to payment deadlines for public contracts. In a sector where expenses are paid upfront and even the slightest late invoice becomes a major headache, the issue of payments quickly becomes a matter of survival rather than convenience.
The impact on the public remains a concern. Strikers can be requisitioned to ensure the continuity of healthcare services, especially for emergency missions, but organizing scheduled journeys is expected to be more complicated, according to the CNSA (National Solidarity Fund for Autonomy). Between public health requirements and companies on the verge of collapse, the equation is a delicate one, and upcoming discussions with funding bodies will determine whether the profession receives some relief or if the series of failures continues.
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