Miguel A Pinilla Vera, MD
Provider is directly employed by MedStar Health
Provider is directly employed by MedStar HealthSpecialties: Cardiology, Advanced Heart Failure And Transplant Cardiology, Cardiovascular Disease
Languages: English
202-877-9393
About me
Miguel Pinilla Vera, MD, also known as ‘Doctor Miguel’ to his patients, is an attending in advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology at the MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute.
Dr. Miguel Pinilla Vera provides diagnostic testing and evidence-based treatment to patients who are at all stages of heart failure (weakening of the heart muscle)–from the early and asymptomatic stages to the most advanced situations, in which a heart transplant or a mechanical long-term pump might be needed.
A major focus of Dr. Pinilla Vera’s practice involves taking care of patients by using medications; recommending changes in lifestyle; and evaluating the necessity of using mechanical pumps, like left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) and heart transplantation, when medication treatment is no longer an option. He works closely with the cardiac surgeons at MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute, one of the largest LVADs centers in the world, to care for patients who require surgical intervention for advanced heart failure.
His clinical and research interests include diagnosing, treating, and providing long-term care for patients with advanced heart failure and inflammatory cardiomyopathy. Dr. Pinilla Vera is passionate about further understanding the mechanisms of the development of heart failure as well as finding better ways to treat patients with this condition. He plans to collaborate with other physicians and investigators at MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute aiming to discover and offer better options to care for patients with heart failure.
Dr. Pinilla Vera trained in internal medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and in cardiology and heart failure and transplant cardiology at Johns Hopkins University. He also obtained extensive training in molecular research at Duke University and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital-Harvard Medical School, in addition to research training in molecular cardiology at Johns Hopkins. This led to multiple publications in the best scientific journals and, most recently, a scholarship from the prestigious Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI).
Dr. Pinilla Vera is also a native Spanish speaker. When not accompanying his patients in their care journey, Dr. Pinilla Vera enjoys being a husband and father to two kids, swimming, playing soccer, and learning to snowboard and play the drums.
Philosophy of care
“My family members and I have been patients too. I strive to provide and encourage everyone on my team to care for patients as if it was for me or my family members. When I meet my patients for the first time, I emphasize that I have their backs and am navigating this journey with them and their families; rain or shine, through smooth and stormy waters.
“Caring for patients with advanced heart conditions requires a team approach. I prioritize communication with other members of the team across MedStar Health, but especially with referring physicians, who allow me the privilege of becoming a member of their team by taking care of their patients.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Advanced Heart Failure
- Advanced Heart Failure (ADHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure (AHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure Care
- Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
- Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC)
- Cardiac Graft Failure
- Cardiac Sarcoidosis
- Cardiac Transplant Rejection
- Cardiac Transplant Vasculopathy
- Cardiomyopathy
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Complications Of Heart Transplant
- Complications Of Transplanted Organs And Tissue
- Complications Of Ventricular Assist Device Implantation
- Heart Disease
- Heart Failure
- Heart Transplant Failure
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Multiple Myeloma With Amyloidosis
- Myocarditis
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Prosthetic Valve Failure
- Pulmonary Edema
- Pulmonary Valve Endocarditis
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Valve Disease With Congestive Heart Failure
Procedures I perform
- Pulmonary Artery Pressure Monitoring
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.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- IH-PPO
- TRICARE for Life East
- Network OA
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Optimum Choice
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- IH-POS
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- IH-Indemnity
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- IH-Open POS II
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Employee Health Plan
- CIGNA PPO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- HighMark
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Aetna Basic
- Choice POS
- Blue Choice Advantage
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- TRICARE East Prime
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Aetna Classic 5000
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst Administrators
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Choice POS II Open Access
- UHC Passport
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- IH-EPO Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CareFirst EPO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Choice
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- First Health PPO
- Choice Fund PPO
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- First Health PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Sentara Health
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- IH-HMO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst NASCO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Beech Street PPO
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- IH-Open HMO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 3500
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- POS OA
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Aetna VA Exchange
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Navigate
- CIGNA EPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- TRICARE East Select
- CIGNA Indemnity
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Medicare Direct
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Aetna HMO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- IH-POS Plus
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Choice POS II
- United Student Resources
- OA Plus
- Medicare FFS
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2022)
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2021)
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2016)
Medical School: Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (2008)