Subject: Georgia Physicians: Your Voice is the Lifeline of Change

Dear GSMA Members and Supporters,

As we enter a defining moment for healthcare in Georgia, our collective voice has never been more vital. The Georgia State Medical Association (GSMA) continues to stand at the forefront of advocacy — advancing policies that protect patients, empower physicians, and promote equitable care for all.

But progress depends on participation. Your engagement is the lifeblood of our mission.

Why Your Membership Matters

When physicians unite, policymakers listen. Through your membership, GSMA amplifies the voice of Georgia’s Black physicians and allies, ensuring our perspectives are represented in every discussion shaping healthcare. Your dues and active involvement help fund legislative outreach, medical education, community health initiatives, and statewide leadership training.

Our Priorities

• Medicaid Expansion: Thousands of Georgians remain uninsured, and hospitals continue to bear the strain. GSMA strongly advocates for full Medicaid expansion — not as a partisan issue, but as a matter of public health, fiscal stability, and moral responsibility.
• Vaccination Mandates and Public Health: Preventable disease remains a threat in our communities. GSMA supports science-based vaccination policies and education to keep Georgia’s families safe and healthy.
• Maternal Health and Mortality: Georgia’s maternal mortality rate remains among the highest in the nation, especially for women of color. We are pushing for accountability, investment in perinatal quality collaboratives, and expansion of postpartum Medicaid coverage.
• Physician Advocacy: From scope-of-practice laws to reimbursement reform, GSMA continues to defend the practice of medicine and the sanctity of the physician-patient relationship.

How You Can Lead Change

1. Join or Renew Your Membership. Every member strengthens our credibility at the Capitol and in coalition efforts statewide.
2. Engage in Advocacy. Attend GSMA’s Legislative Day, respond to advocacy alerts, and share your expertise with policymakers.
3. Mentor and Mobilize. Encourage colleagues and trainees to join GSMA — the next generation of physician leaders begins with you.
4. Support GSMA PAC. Your contribution helps ensure that Georgia’s medical community has a strong voice in the political process.

Our future depends on informed, engaged, and united physicians who are willing to act. Together, we can drive down maternal mortality, expand access to care, and shape a healthier Georgia.

This is our time to lead.

This is our call to action.

With appreciation and resolve,

Julianne Adams Birt, MD, FACOG

President, Georgia State Medical Association