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
Practice locations
Distance from Change Location Enter your Location
5009 Honeygo Center Dr
Ste 210
Perry Hall, MD, 21128
3300 N Calvert St
2nd Fl
Baltimore, MD, 21218
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
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- POS OA
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Network OA
- BlueChoice Open Access
- First Health PPO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Optimum Choice
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Administrators
- CIGNA EPO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Employee Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- UHC Passport
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Navigate
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Choice Fund PPO
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- IH-Open HMO
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- United Student Resources
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Beech Street PPO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- MultiPlan, Inc
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- CareFirst EPO
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- CareFirst NASCO
- IH-Open HMO Option
- First Health PPO
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Aetna HMO
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- IH-POS Plus
- Choice POS
- IH-PPO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- IH-Open POS II
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Medicare FFS
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Aetna Basic
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- TRICARE for Life East
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- IH-Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- IH-EPO Plus
- Sentara Health
- IH-HMO
- IH-POS
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CIGNA PPO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- HighMark
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- TRICARE East Select
- Medicare Direct
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- OA Plus
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- TRICARE East Prime
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
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”