Learn More About Me
Specialties: Cardiac Surgery
Languages: English
410-554-6534
About me
Brian Bethea, MD, is the Chief of Cardiac Surgery at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital and the regional chief of outreach for the Baltimore region. He is board certified in thoracic surgery.
Dr. Bethea’s clinical interests involve minimally invasive approaches to valvular and structural heart disease. This includes procedures such as TAVR, transcatheter mitral valve repair and replacement, transcatheter tricuspid valve repair and replacement, and multi-arterial coronary revascularization.
Dr. Bethea is a member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
After earning his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma, Dr. Bethea completed his residency in general surgery, followed by a fellowship in cardiac surgery, at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Dr. Bethea has participated in nearly all major U.S. clinical trials for TAVR and has been involved in early feasibility trials for transcatheter mitral valve repair and replacement. Due to his reputation, excellent outcomes, and high surgical volumes, he was selected to participate in past trials for the mitral and tricuspid valves, including Tendyne™, MitraClip™, ENCIRCLE, and TRILUMINATE. He is the only surgeon in Maryland to offer patient the latter two options.
He is a physician educator and proctor, traveling throughout the world to teach valve repair and replacement techniques to other surgeons. He serves as selection chair for the Tendyne trial, overseeing all patient selection for the entire trial.
Dr. Bethea has presented his work internationally and is widely published in all the major cardiothoracic medical journals. He was among the first authors to be published on the topic of transcatheter mitral valve replacement–a rapidly evolving and expanding field.
Philosophy of Care
“I aim to provide personalized, tailored care to each of my patients. Whether it’s a minimally invasive procedure, an open procedure, or a hybrid approach, I find the method that will best fit the person, rather than the other way around. Since I have been involved in the development of so many new technologies, I can provide patients with all their options, so we can make an informed decision together. I wholeheartedly believe in a team approach to providing care, and view patients, their families, and their referring physicians as integral members of the care team.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Reoperation, Coronary Artery Bypass
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Acute Bacterial Endocarditis
- Acute Endocarditis
- Aneurysm Of Ascending Aorta
- Aneurysm Of Descending Aorta
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Arch Aneurysm
- Aortic Valve Disease
- Aortic Valve Regurgitation
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial Septal Defect
- Bicuspid Aortic Valve
- Cardiac Arrest
- Cardiac Tamponade
- Cardiomyopathy
- Complications Of Procedures
- Congenital Heart Valve Defects
- Coronary Artery Blockage
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Heart Attack
- Heart Bypass Surgery
- Marfan Syndrome
- Mitral Regurgitation
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Stenosis
- Myocardial Infarction
- Patent Foramen Ovale
- Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
- Rheumatic Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Thoracic Aortic Dissection
- Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm
- Tricuspid Stenosis
- Ventricular Septal Defect
Procedures I perform
- Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Aortic Root Replacement
- Aortic Rupture Treatment
- Aortic Valve Dilation
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Aortic Valve Supplement
- Atrial Septal Defect Repair
- Cardiac Myxoma Excision
- Cardiac Sampling And Pressure Measurement
- Cardiac Ultrasound
- Cardioversion
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
- Endoscopy With Vein Harvest
- Excision Of Left Atrium
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Heart Transplant
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Treatment
- Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump
- Intraaortic Balloon Pump Placement
- Maze Procedure For Atrial Fibrillation
- Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
- Mitral Balloon Valvuloplasty
- Occlusion Of Left Atrial Appendage
- Pericardial Window Creation
- Pulmonary Valve Replacement
- Reoperation, Coronary Artery Bypass
- Repair Tricuspid Valve
- Subclavian Artery Extirpation
- Thoracic Aneurysm Repair
- Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair
- Tricuspid Valve Repair
- Tricuspid Valve Supplement With Synthetic Substitute
- Valvuloplasty
- Ventricular Restoration
- Ventricular Septum Supplement With Zooplastic Tissue
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
- Sentara Health
- Medicare FFS
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- IH-HMO
- Choice POS
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- TRICARE for Life East
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- First Health PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CareFirst EPO
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Tricare Reserve Select
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CIGNA PPO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- CIGNA EPO
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Aetna Basic
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- IH-Open POS Plus
- First Health PPO
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- OA Plus
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Navigate
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 5000
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- IH-EPO Plus
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- IH-PPO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Aetna VA Exchange
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- TRICARE East Select
- IH-POS Plus
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- POS OA
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Blue Choice Advantage
- HighMark
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CareFirst NASCO
- Choice POS II
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- IH-Open HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- IH-Open POS II
- BlueChoice Open Access
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- United Student Resources
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Choice Fund PPO
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- UHC Passport
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- IH-POS
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Network OA
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- TRICARE East Prime
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- CareFirst Administrators
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Optimum Choice
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- IH-Indemnity
- Employee Health Plan
- Beech Street PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2008)
Residency: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2005)
Medical School: The University Of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (1999)
Awards
- Baltimore magazine, Top Doctor, 2021, 2025
- Newsweek ranked “2025 America’s Leading Doctors-Cardiothoracic Surgery”