Medical transport by ambulance: obtaining approval
Verified 01 April 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
To carry out private sanitary transport by ambulance, the trader must be licensed. We explain the conditions for obtaining it.
The sanitary transport group 2 categories vehicles: the ambulances and VSL: titleContent. The ambulance is transporting 1 patient only in the supine position, while the VSL can carry up to 3 people sick seated position.
3 categories of vehicles
It exists 3 categories Ambulance type vehicles:
- Category A vehicle: emergency ambulance and emergency care (ASSU)
- Category B vehicle: asphyxiated and injured rescue car (VSAB)
- Category C vehicle: ambulance
Emergency Response and Medical Prescription
Ambulance-type vehicles are the only ones that can intervene on emergencies.
Moreover, only theordinance of a doctor makes it possible to use sanitary transport. This order prescribes the mode of transport to be used (sitting or lying down, monitoring or administering oxygen, etc.).
Exclusiveness
The crew of an ambulance, a ASU: titleContent or a VSAB: titleContent is not entitled to carry out at the same time the occupation of health carrier with a VSL: titleContent.
The crew must use either an ambulance or a VSL.
Number of professionals on board
The number of crew members is regulated and depends on the type of ambulance.
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Ambulance and ASSU
The crew must consist of 2 full-time professionals.
Asphyxiated and Injured Rescue Car (VSAB)
The crew of a VSAB must be composed of a minimum of 2 professionals on board.
Diplomas or qualifications
Crew on board an ambulance, a ASU: titleContent or a VSAB: titleContent must meet certain conditions of qualification and professional competence:
Driving license
Crew aboard an ambulance, a ASU: titleContent or a VSAB: titleContent must hold a driving license B with a certificate issued by the prefect as a result of medical examination physical fitness.
The license must be more than 3 years old (2 years in case of early learning to drive).
Vaccines
The crew on an ambulance, ASSU or VSAB must be up to date with the vaccine against hepatitis B.
The vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis (DTP) is mandatory only in Mayotte.
Please note
Some examination centers (ambulance driver's diploma and professional qualification) require students to be vaccinated against other diseases, such as DTP (diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis).
Dress
The medical transport company must undertake to provide its crew with specific clothing.
This outfit must be recognizable and identified as an outfit specific to healthcare professionals. Generally the outfit is composed of pants, a blouse or shirt and a white and/or blue jacket.
The wearing of this outfit is forbidden outside the activity.
Exclusive use
Vehicles used for sanitary transport must be dedicated solely to this function.
Equipment
There are many technical characteristics that medical transport vehicles must comply with, especially those related to equipment.
They can be found in the appendix to Order of 12 June 2017.
Technical inspection
A roadworthiness test shall be carried out 1 year after the first entry into service (or at the time of the change of use of the vehicle).
It has to be renewed every year.
Externally visible elements
The vehicle shall contain the following:
- Warnings and special lights
- Regular cross with 6 branches blue
- Trade name of sanitary transport activity
- Name of the natural or legal person holding the authorization
Obtain prior authorization for placing in service
Each region has a limited number of vehicles dedicated to sanitary transport. It is based on the number of inhabitants.
Before In order to apply for approval, the company must obtain an authorization to place its vehicle(s) in service.
If the limit is reached, the company cannot obtain the right to practice. Except if it resumes activity from another professional by transfer.
You must take LRA contact from your region to know the possibility or notto obtain authorization :
Who shall I contact
Apply for approval
The company of health transport must apply for approval to the territorial delegation of the LRA.
This request must be made at least 2 months before the plan to create or take over a sanitary transport company.
Who shall I contact
Please note
Lack of response fromARS: titleContent upon application for approval for 4 months shall be acceptance of the demand.
Company information to be provided
The company must include in its application:
- Name, address, trade name used and a criminal record extract of the person responsible
- In the case of an association or business: its statutes
- Address and telephone number of each location of the land health transport activity
- Address of the premises used for the health transport activity and its use
- Declaration on honor attesting that these installations are in conformity with the required standards
Information to be provided on vehicles
The company must include the following information with its application for registration:
- Carte grise Duplex photocopy of certificate of registration) and the certificate of conformity to the minimum standards drawn up by the manufacturer or the body builder
- For vehicles hired, photocopy of the lease
- List of on-board equipment conforming to the minimum standards and their approval number if available
- Have disinfection protocols
Crew information to be provided
The company must include the following information with its application for registration:
- List of the names of persons crewing medical vehicles and their qualifications
- Double-sided copy of driving licenses and required diplomas
- Extract of criminal record (Bulletin No. 3) less than 3 months from the legal representative(s) of the company
FYI
The sanitary transport company must maintain list complete the crew members of the vehicles with their qualifications. They have to provide that list 1 time per year and every change in the situation at the Regional Health Agency.
Who shall I contact
Reimbursement of costs of persons transported
In order to allow the sick to be reimbursement of transport costs, the company must sign a convention with the primary health insurance fund (CPAM).
This agreement lays down the rates and the conditions for taking over.
Without this agreement, no reimbursement to the insured person or waiver of advance payment of costs can be made.
How do I subscribe to the agreement?
The primary health insurance fund sends its agreement to the health carriers that depend on it geographically.
The medical carrier has1 month to send in writing your answer to the primary health insurance fund.
If the carrier decides to sign the agreement, it must send a Urssaf certificate indicating that he is up to date with the payment of his employee and employer contributions.
Create your Urssaf space (account) online
Failure to reply within 1 month shall be deemed to constitute a refusal to accede to the Convention.
How do I store or stop the packaging?
To retain the agreement, the company must send, every year, in the second quarter, theUrssaf certificate.
Create your Urssaf space (account) online
It is also possible to stop accession. In the event of a change of situation, a period of 1 month is necessary to amend the accession to the Convention.
The trader may consult all the information concerning his activity on his Ameli Pro account.
How It Works
Transport costs may be covered provided they are prescribed by a doctor.
The physician prescribes the nearest health care facility appropriate to the patient's condition.
If the patient is summoned to a check-up, the summons or the notice of hearing shall take the place of a prescription.
In case of emergency, the medical prescription can be established afterwards.
The transport costs to get to a thermal cure (and back) are managed based on the patient’s resources.
Prescription
A medical prescription (form to be filled in by the doctor and sent by the patient to the doctor advising his CPAM: titleContent) is sufficient for transport which corresponds in particular to the following reasons:
- Hospitalization (hospital entry and/or discharge), regardless of duration (full, partial, or outpatient)
- Long-term disorder (ALD) if the patient's state of health does not allow him to move by his own means
- Condition warranting prolonged transport or constant monitoring (ambulance)
- Regulatory control (convocation of a medical examination, of an expert doctor, or of a supplier of approved equipment)
- Accident at work Care related to an occupational disorder
- Home Returns as part of discharge permissions for patients under 20 years hospitalized 14 days and more
Prior agreement
For certain types of transport, payment of transport costs requires a medical prescription for transport with request prior agreement.
The healthcare professional fills out a specific form, gives it to the patient for sending to the medical service of his CPAM.
These include:
- Long distance, or more than 150 km one way
- Series, when the patient must make at least four trips of more than 50 km outward, over a period of 2 months, for the same treatment
- Children and adolescents hosted in the centers for early medical-social action (CAMSP) and the centers medico-psycho-pedagogical (CMPP)
- Airplane or ship regular liner
The absence of a response from CPAM 15 days after the request is sent means that it is accepted.
In case of refusal, the patient receives a letter from the Health Insurance.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
Coverage of medical transport costs and agreement
Situations giving rise to reimbursement of transport costs by sickness insurance
Mandatory vaccinations
Conditions for qualifications and diplomas for the approval of medical transport
First aid training (rescue)
Approval: conditions for issue
Obligations of approved carriers
Authorization for placing in service
Conditions for access to the craft profession of ambulance driver
Rules relating to the diploma of an ambulance attendant
Medical attestation condition for driving license
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National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam)
National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam)
National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam)
National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam)
National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam)