James P. Higgins, MD| Plastic Surgery, Reconstructive Plastic Surgery | MedStar Health
About me
Dr. James Higgins is Chief of The Curtis National Hand Center at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital. Dr. Higgins specializes in complex reconstruction after trauma, microsurgery, congenital hand surgery as well as fractures and disorders of the arm and wrist. He is fellowship trained in hand surgery and board certified in plastic surgery.
Dr. Higgins is recognized as a leading surgeon in the field and a sought-after national and international presenter and visiting professor. His numerous research studies and clinical trial research projects are published in prestigious peer-reviewed medical journals. While treating commonplace hand conditions he has been recognized as a leader in complex areas of hand surgery including microsurgery, hand replantation and transplantation, and wrist reconstruction.
Dr. Higgins believes in treating all patients in the same way that he would treat a family member. His dedication to patient care and compassion led him to be named a Top Doctor by Baltimore Magazine, most recently in 2023, and a Super Doctor by The Washington Post.
Each year the two largest national scientific organizations of hand and microsurgery select a travelling ambassador surgeon from among their ranks of thousands of surgeons around the globe. Dr Higgins has served as the selected ambassador and travelling fellow for each of these groups. In 2010 Dr. Higgins served as the Godina travelling fellow for the American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery. In 2013 he then served as the Sterling Bunnell travelling fellow for the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Dr Higgins is one of only two surgeons globally who have ever received both of these prestigious accolades.
Awards
Dr. Higgins was named a 2023 and 2020 “Top Doc” by Baltimore Magazine for Hand Surgery and has been recognized since 2015.
Clinical areas of focus
- Cubital Tunnel Release
- De Quervain's Thyroiditis
- Dupuytren's Contracture
- Ganglion Cysts
- Hand And Wrist Fracture
- Hand Tendon Repair
- Metacarpophalangeal Joint Arthroplasty
- Radial Nerve Entrapment
- Reconstructive Surgery Of The Hand
- Trigger Finger
- Wrist And Hand Tendon Injury
- Wrist Instability Reconstruction
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Acantholytic Disorders
- Acquired Absence Of Limb
- Acquired Finger Deformity
- Arthritis
- Bone Density Disorder
- Bone Disorders
- Bone Infection (OSTEOMYELITIS)
- Bursopathy
- Congenital Malformations Of Limb
- Congenital Musculoskeletal Deformities
- Cutaneous Abscess, Furuncle And Carbuncle
- Early Complications Of Trauma
- Elbow And Forearm Injury
- Elbow Joint And Ligament Dislocation And Sprain
- Enteropathic Arthropathies
- Finger Joint Dislocation
- Finger Sprains
- Finger, Hand, And Wrist Open Wound
- Flexor Tendon Rupture
- Forearm And Elbow Joint Instability
- Forearm Blood Vessel Injury
- Forearm Fracture
- Forearm Tendon Injury
- Gout
- Hand And Wrist Arthritis
- Hand And Wrist Fracture
- Hand Joint And Ligament Sprain
- Hand Tendon Injury
- Joint Derangement
- Joint Disorder
- Lateral Meniscus Injury
- Limb Deformity
- Muscle Disorders
- Neck Nerve And Spinal Cord Injury
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteoarthritis Of First Carpometacarpal Joint
- Osteoarthritis Of The Finger
- Osteochondropathies
- Osteonecrosis
- Peripheral Nerve Surgery
- Polyosteoarthritis
- Presence Of Functional Implants
- Radial Nerve Entrapment
- Reconstructive Surgery
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis Of Hand
- Shoulder And Upper Arm Amputation
- Shoulder And Upper Arm Tendon Injury
- Syndactyly
- Synovium And Tendon Disorder
- Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
- Tendinous Disorders
- Tendonitis Of The Hand
- Thumb Synovitis
- Wrist And Hand Amputation
- Wrist And Hand Joint And Ligament Dislocation And Sprain
- Wrist And Hand Tendon Injury
- Wrist Blood Vessel Injury
- Wrist Joint Dislocation
- Wrist, Hand, And Finger Crushing Injury
Procedures I perform
- Bone Graft
- Burn Treatment
- Capsulotomy Of Wrist
- Carpal Bone Fracture Treatment
- Carpal Scaphoid Fracture Fixation
- Carpectomy Of All Bones Of Proximal Row
- Carpectomy Of One Bone
- Celiac Plexus Block
- Club Hand Reconstruction
- Cubital Tunnel Release
- Distal Radius Fracture Fixation
- Dupuytren Contracture Treatment
- Elbow Arthroscopy
- Elbow Ligament Repair
- Elbow Replacement
- Extensor Tendon Grafting
- Extensor Tendon Sheath Incision
- Fasciectomy With Release Of Single Digit
- Finger Arthroscopy
- Finger Contracture Release
- Ganglion Cyst Excision
- Incision And Drainage Of Abscess
- Intercarpal Arthroplasty
- Left Axillary Lymphatic Autologous Supplement
- Lesion Excision
- Metacarpal Fracture Treatment
- Metacarpal Joint Arthrodesis
- Metacarpophalangeal Joint Arthroplasty
- Microsurgery
- Muscle Flap
- Percutaneous Osteoplasty
- Peripheral Nerve Surgery
- Phalangeal Shaft Fracture Treatment
- Phalanx Bone Excision
- Reconstructive Surgery
- Reconstructive Surgery Of The Hand
- Scar Revision
- Skin Graft Urethroplasty
- Surgical Repair Of Flexor Tendon
- Sympathectomy
- Synovectomy Of Tendon Sheath
- Tendinitis Treatment
- Tendon Lengthening
- Tenolysis
- Tissue Expansion
- Wrist Instability Reconstruction
- Wrist Instability Treatment
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
-
List of insurance plans we accept
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- IH-PPO
- HighMark
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Beech Street PPO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Optimum Choice
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- TRICARE East Prime
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CIGNA Indemnity
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CareFirst NASCO
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- IH-POS Plus
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Choice POS II
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Navigate
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Medicare FFS
- IH-EPO Plus
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Network OA
- CareFirst Administrators
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- IH-Network Only Plus
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- POS OA
- OA Plus
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- First Health PPO
- Choice POS
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Aetna Basic
- Choice POS II Open Access
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- IH-HMO
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- IH-Open POS II
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Police and Fire Clinic
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- First Health PPO
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- United Student Resources
- Employee Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- CIGNA PPO
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst EPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- IH-Indemnity
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Medicare Direct
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- CIGNA EPO
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- UHC Passport
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- TRICARE East Select
- United Healthcare Choice
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- TRICARE for Life East
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- HumanaChoice PPO
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- IH-Open HMO
- IH-POS
- Choice Fund PPO
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Sentara Health
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CIGNA PPO Plus
Videos
Education
Board Certification: ,
Board Certification: American Board of Plastic Surgery, Plastic Surgery
Fellowship: MedStar Union Memorial Hospital at Baltimore (2002)
Residency: University of Rochester School of Medicine GME (2001)
Residency: University of Rochester School of Medicine GME (1999)
Medical School: University of Rochester (1996)
Awards
- Baltimore Magazine Top Doc - 2023, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015