4. A group of community-based physicians competes with an academic medical center (AMC) in the same market to offer endoscopy services. The physician group charges patients and third-party payers lower fees than the AMC.

A regional health plan has contracted with the AMC but refuses to contract with the physicians. The physicians suspect that the AMC has used its bargaining power to influence the health plan. Is this unfair competition? What marketing strategies could the physicians use to secure a contract with the health plan?