Blogger and dad-to-be Eric Snowdeal's wife recently went for her second visit to her Ob/Gyn. When she informed her doctor that they were planning on having a home birth with a midwife, the doctor got angry and dumped her. Snowdeal and others who've chosen home birth discuss the hospital's--and doctor's--push for a far more expensive (and profitable) hospital birth, even when midwives and home birth have been shown to be as safe as a hospital birth for a healthy, low-risk pregnancy.
Check out Eric's post and follow-on comments while I poke around for research, expert opinion, and economic comparisons. [via kottke.org]
When we were in Bradley class, we learned of the many issues the birthing centers (now all gone) were having in the city. Apparently not being allowed to take insurance is the key blocker pushing people to hospitals. I believe the only insurance-included mid-wife option is to go to Roosevelt, though any issue will bump you down to the hospital floor.