I don&#x27;t have much insight with regard to protectionism, but it&#x27;s worth pointing out that physician income is <i>low</i> (~8%) as a fraction of the (high) US healthcare spending, compared to other Western countries.<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.healthcarefinancenews.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;physician-compensation-among-lowest-western-nations" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.healthcarefinancenews.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;physician-compensa...</a><p>Given the large fraction of physician income that goes toward medical malpractice in the US, as well as the higher overall wages in the US, the differential that protectionism needs to explain is nothing like the factor of 2 you suggest.