IPC praises French government for wheelchair reimbursement policy
President Emmanuel Macron confirms full reimbursement of wheelchairs from December 2025, including contribution towards sport chairs 12 Feb 2025
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has praised the French government for delivering an outstanding Paris 2024 Paralympic Games legacy after it confirmed that it will provide a full reimbursement on wheelchairs and a contribution towards sport wheelchairs.
In early February, the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron confirmed the measure which will greatly benefit persons with disabilities and those looking to engage in Para sport.
From 1 December 2025, day wheelchairs will be reimbursed 100 per cent and health insurance will cover a sports wheelchair up to a value of EUR 2,400. If the cost of the chair exceeds this amount, a prior request must be made to health insurance which will then have two months to respond. If the insurer does not reply during this period, its silence will be considered acceptance, and the chair will be covered in full.
IPC President Andrew Parsons said: “The announcement by the French government to reimburse wheelchairs is a tremendous legacy of the Paris 2024 and will make it easier for persons with disabilities to get involved and practice Para sport.
“One of the obstacles to practicing Para sport is the cost of the equipment required so the fact the French government will not just reimburse day-to-day chairs but contribute towards sport chairs is absolutely fantastic progress.”
President Macron initially announced the plan to reimburse wheelchairs at the National Disability Conference in April 2023 as part of a new policy which prioritises education and employment for persons with disabilities. The new policy included a commitment to invest EUR 1.5 billion to improve the accessibility of places of daily life.
In 2019, the France’s Institute for Research and Documentation in Health Economics (Irdes) estimated that between 1.08 and 1.13 million people used wheelchairs. This number includes 253,000 people under the age of 65, including 22,500 children. Around 150,000 wheelchairs are purchased each year.
The reimbursement of wheelchairs is not the only Paris 2024 Paralympic legacy.
Ahead of the Games, the City of Paris announced it was investing EUR 125 million to deliver many transformational initiatives that will make the French capital more accessible to persons with disabilities in all aspects of life.
Days prior to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony, the Ile-de-France region made a landmark commitment to make the Paris Metro accessible for all. The project is estimated to cost between EUR 15 and 20 billion and be delivered over two decades.
