About me
Ajay Kadakkal, MD, is a board-certified advanced heart failure specialist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center’s Heart and Vascular Institute. He treats patients with advanced diastolic heart failure and congestive heart failure. He also treats patients who are in need of a heart transplant and require mechanical service support from devices like the left ventricular assist device (LVAD). In addition, Dr. Kadakkal takes a special interest in infiltrative and inflammatory heart conditions like cardiac amyloidosis and sarcoidosis, which are often underdiagnosed. He is dedicated to building MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute as a referral base and top local center for referrals for patients with these conditions.
Dr. Kadakkal is part of a strong clinical practice at MedStar Health that provides a variety of diagnostic tests, ranging from imaging to cardiac stress testing. As part of this practice, he contributes to a team that is at the forefront of LVAD device placement and management at one of the top LVAD implant centers in the country. Dr. Kadakkal is passionate about continuing to develop and improve the durability and size of LVADs. His goal is to contribute to clinical trials that will improve the design of LVADs to be fully implantable, smaller, and less intrusive to the patient’s quality of life.
He is part of a group research effort at MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute that involves a variety of clinical trials currently researching and providing new technology to patients who require mechanical circulatory support. His team is also currently building a database that observes patients with sarcoidosis and amyloidosis, looking at the difference in hemodynamic parameters among specific treatments for these conditions.
Dr. Kadakkal received his medical degree from the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He then joined University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for residency and fellowship training before completing a specialty fellowship at Stanford University Medical Center.
Philosophy of Care
“Today, cardiovascular care is heavily influenced by technology. For this reason, it’s important that I am able to offer my patients the most advanced technology available while adhering to evidence-based practices.
“I take the time to help each patient understand the process of his/her disease and clearly understand what treatment options are available to either improve his/her health or stay within the lines of what his/her goals of care are. I believe that a holistic approach to patient care provides the best results. The ability to provide compassionate care lies in the time I take to listen to my patients in order to provide them with the best quality of life and survival available to them by implementing what I feel is the newest and most advanced technology.
“I am available to share information with providers and coordinate care with them for any referral patients.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Cardiomyopathy
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Ventricular Dysfunction
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 Sarcoidosis
- Cardiomyopathy
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Complications Of Transplanted Organs And Tissue
- Heart Disease
- Heart Failure
- Heart Transplant Failure
- Heart Transplant Rejection
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Multiple Myeloma With Amyloidosis
- Peripartum Cardiomyopathy
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Pulmonary Edema
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Valve Disease With Congestive Heart Failure
- Ventricular Assist Device Infection
- Ventricular Dysfunction
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
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Network OA
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Aetna HMO
- IH-PPO
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CIGNA PPO
- Sentara Health
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Beech Street PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CareFirst NASCO
- Choice Fund PPO
- United Healthcare Choice
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Core Essential (HMO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- IH-Open HMO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- United Student Resources
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- IH-Indemnity
- Aetna VA Exchange
- IH-HMO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- UHC Passport
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- TRICARE East Prime
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- First Health PPO
- IH-EPO Plus
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- HighMark
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Employee Health Plan
- Choice POS II Open Access
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- TRICARE East Select
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Optimum Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- OA Plus
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst EPO
- Choice POS II
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Choice POS
- IH-Open POS II
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CIGNA EPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- TRICARE for Life East
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- IH-POS Plus
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Navigate
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- IH-POS
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Medicare FFS
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Administrators
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Medicare Direct
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- POS OA
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Blue Choice Advantage
- First Health PPO
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Fellowship: Stanford University School of Medicine (2017)
Fellowship: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2016)
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2012)
Medical School: University of Virginia School of Medicine (2009)