A Home Birth Program Model For the US?

In Australia, a mainstream Home Birth Program is being piloted to offer
the women of Victoria birth options. The program is a collaboration
between three hospitals and midwives. Women would receive prenatal care
from a midwife. Back up midwives would be available in case their
primary midwife is unavailable. Women would receive antenatal care from
the hospital to keep track of their medical records. And if anything
goes wrong with a home birth, they would have a smooth transition to the
hospital. The midwives are also covered by the hospital's insurance.
(TheAge.com)

http://m.theage.com.au/national/homebirth-boost-for-expectant-mothers-20091222-lbq7.html

It all sounds good to me, but I would still have a lot of questions
about a program like this in the US. I don't know if it would work,
simply because it would require a change of belief on the part of the OB
GYN "society". Childbirth in the US is a BIG money machine.

However, if a program like this was offered to the public, it would give
a woman more control of her birth and would lend creditability to the
safety and public acceptance of home births. What do you think?

(Please note that my references to a option home birth assume that a
woman who has uncomplicated pregnancies and births would have this
option.)

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