contract-law medical
Can a doctor make you pay for something you didn&#39;t explicitly agree to pay for?
<p>Note: this is a real example, but I don't care nearly enough to fight it; I ask purely out of curiosity.</p>

<p>I was at the dentist and I had a few cavities filled in. My understanding from what was explained to me is that 2 of them were filled with white, and 2 with silver; insurance covers 80% of silver, but 0% of white. The dentist never mentioned that there were options, and never mentioned that the options cost different amounts of money.</p>

<p>For that matter, I never explicitly agreed to pay for anything. What makes a medical fee enforceable?</p>

<p>Edit: I could understand situations where the patient is incapable of communicating/deciding, but nevertheless needs urgent treatment, and how in a situation like that the patient would get the treatment and subsequently be responsible for paying.</p>

<p>You sat in the chair, you agreed to the treatment. By doing so you implicitly agreed to pay the dentist his fee. Now, the price was not agreed beforehand so the exact amount is subject to negotiation. This negotiation is usually best pursued when you have the fillings in your teeth and the money still in your wallet - this is called "leverage".</p>

<p>The amount that your insurer reimburses you is a matter entirely independent of how much you pay your dentist. However, the difference in your ability to recover the costs are a valid point to raise in your negotiation. </p>
