While health care policy is undoubtedly gripping enough by itself, one thing this blog is missing is a little celebrity controversy. Luckily, talk show host Ricki Lake has recently become embroiled in a debate with the American Medical Association over home birth that is worth keeping an eye on. 

Lake and filmmaker Abby Epstein produced a documentary (released in January) called The Business of Being Born, which takes aim at doctors for treating every birth like a "potentially catastrophic medical emergency." The film included footage of Lake giving birth to her second son in the bathtub of her Manhattan apartment.

Certainly, it would seem that Lake (and other women) would have the right to give birth as they see fit, but that is not the case, according to the busybodies at the American Medical Association.

Last weekend, the Association issued a resolution against home births at its delegates meeting and explicitly criticized Lake. Worse, the organization would like all midwives to go through the training and certification process defined by the American College of Nurse-Midwives and is planning to lobby states to adopt legislation to this effect.

Clearly, the AMA is attempting to determine how women give birth. Doctors also benefit financially from intensive use of medical services throughout the child birth process. 

As a proponent of health care freedom (and reducing superfluous costs) my only response to this is: "Go Ricki, Go Ricki..."