Yes, and when you talk to a lot of doctors, they are CONVINCED that U.S. doctors provide the best health care on the planet. It requires all of one's good home training to not laugh right in their faces, especially since in the same breath, they'll also tell you how they came to Alaska because they weren't making enough money elsewhere. 

As for the medical malpractice issue, it bears repeating that the statistics for doctors are rather favorable on such claims. It doesn't make sense to not look at the cost of malpractice insurance as a driver of health care costs, but it is very, very profitable to be an insurer of doctors, especially in Alaska. 

The last statistic I heard is that 95-98% of medical malpractice cases that go to trial end in a defense verdict.  Meaning the doctor wins.  So, why are med mal premiums so high?