Learn More About Me
Specialties: Cardiac Surgery, General Surgery, Valvular Disease Cardiology, Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery, Thoracic Surgery
Languages: English
202-877-3503
About me
Ammar S. Bafi, MD, is a cardiothoracic surgeon at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. He is board certified in thoracic surgery.
As a cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Bafi treats all adult cardiac disease, such as valvular and coronary artery disease, through the use of advanced surgical techniques. He specializes in mitral valve repair, as well as off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.
With more than 25 years of experience, he has performed more than 10,000 heart operations with superb results, exceeding the national average in outcomes and patient satisfaction. In his high-volume clinical practice, he performs approximately 400 heart surgeries each year.
Dr. Bafi serves on the Cardiovascular Surgery Program Quality Improvement Committee at MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute. He is also a member of the American College of Surgeons and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
Dr. Bafi received his medical degree from the George Washington University School of Medicine before completing a general surgery internship at Cornell University Medical Center/North Shore University Hospital. He then returned to the George Washington University Hospital to complete a six-year general surgery residency, which included one year of research. Finally, he completed a two-year specialty residency in cardiothoracic surgery at GWU, and one year as a clinical associate in the Department of Cardiac Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
Dr. Bafi’s clinical research includes serving as principal or co-investigator in multiple transcatheter aortic and mitral valve studies, including the CoreValve®, PARTNER, COAPT, and NeoChord™ trials. He continues to participate in many cardiac surgery and cardiology clinical trials, particularly as they relate to percutaneous valvular therapies. He works with a team of skilled interventional cardiologists to continue bringing novel treatments to his patients. Dr. Bafi’s research is widely published in medical journals.
Philosophy of Care
“Growing up as a child of diplomats, I lived in different countries. As a part of this experience, I learned to develop and appreciate a wide perspective on many people, religions, and cultures. I believe this contributes to my ability to connect and empathize with my patients and colleagues. I am driven by the knowledge that every day I’m working to improve the quality of life for my patients. I feel it is my privilege and honor to have a positive impact on my patients’ health and their lives.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Heart Transplant
- Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abnormal Breathing
- Acute Bacterial Endocarditis
- Acute Endocarditis
- Acute Myocardial Infarction
- Advanced Heart Failure
- Advanced Heart Failure (ADHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure (AHF)
- Amyloidosis
- Aneurysm Of Ascending Aorta
- Aneurysm Of Descending Aorta
- Angina
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Arch Aneurysm
- Aortic Regurgitation
- Aortic Stenosis
- Aortic Valve Disease
- Aortic Valve Disorders
- Aortic Valve Regurgitation
- Atherosclerosis
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial Flutter
- Atrial Septal Defect
- Bicuspid Aortic Valve
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Cardiac Prosthetic Device Complications
- Cardiac Tamponade
- Cardiac Valve Tumors
- Cardiomyopathy
- Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension
- Circulatory System Complications
- Coarctation Of The Aorta
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Complications Of Cardiac Surgery
- Complications Of Heart Transplant
- Complications Of Procedures
- Congenital Heart Valve Defects
- Congenital Malformations Of Heart
- Congenital Malformations Of Pulmonary And Tricuspid Valves
- Coronary Artery Blockage
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Ebstein's Anomaly
- Eisenmenger Syndrome
- Heart Bypass Surgery
- Heart Disease
- Heart Murmur
- Heart Transplant Failure
- Heart Transplant Rejection
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Infectious Endocarditis
- Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
- Ischemic Heart Disease
- Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
- Marfan Syndrome
- Mitral Regurgitation
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Stenosis
- Myocardial Infarction
- Myocardial Infarction (HEART ATTACK)
- Nonrheumatic Mitral Valve Disease
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus
- Patent Foramen Ovale
- Pericardium Diseases
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Pulmonary Valve Disorders
- Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Rheumatic Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Right Ventricular Aneurysm
- Single Ventricle Heart Defects
- Thoracic Aortic Dissection
- Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm
- Transposition Of The Great Arteries
- Tricuspid Atresia
- Tricuspid Stenosis
- Valve Disease With Congestive Heart Failure
- Ventricular Aneurysm
- Ventricular Septal Defect
Procedures I perform
- Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Aneurysm Repair
- Aortic Arch Reconstruction
- Aortic Dissection Repair
- Aortic Root Replacement
- Aortic Rupture Treatment
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Aortic Valve Supplement
- Atrial Appendage Closure
- Atrial Septal Defect Closure
- Atrial Septal Defect Repair
- Atrial Septum Supplement
- Bilateral Cardiac Sampling And Pressure
- Cardiac Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Cardiac Ablation For Ventricular Tachycardia
- Cardiac Arrhythmia Surgery
- Cardiac Bypass Surgery
- Cardiac Myxoma Excision
- Cardiac Sampling And Pressure Measurement
- Cardiac Surgery For Cardiac Tumors
- Cardiac Surgery For Congenital Heart Defects
- Cardiac Surgery For Congenital Heart Disease
- Cardiac Surgery For Heart Block
- Cardiac Ultrasound
- Cardiopulmonary Bypass
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
- Cardioversion
- Cerebral Embolic Filtration
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
- Destruction Of Left Atrial Appendage
- Device Implantation For Heart Failure
- Endoscopy With Vein Harvest
- Excision Of Left Atrium
- Excision Of Pericardium
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Heart Failure Surgery
- Heart Therapeutic Injection
- Heart Transplant
- Heart Valve Reconstruction
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Treatment
- Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump
- Intraaortic Balloon Pump Placement
- Maze Procedure For Atrial Fibrillation
- Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery
- Mitral Balloon Valvuloplasty
- Mitral Valve Repair
- Occlusion Of Left Atrial Appendage
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus Repair
- Pulmonary Valve Reconstruction
- Pulmonary Valve Replacement
- Reoperation, Coronary Artery Bypass
- Repair Tricuspid Valve
- Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair
- Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Replacement
- Tricuspid Valve Reconstruction
- Tricuspid Valve Repair
- Tricuspid Valve Supplement With Synthetic Substitute
- Valvuloplasty
- Ventricular Restoration
- Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation
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
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- IH-POS Plus
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Choice Fund PPO
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Network OA
- United Healthcare Choice
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Beech Street PPO
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- IH-HMO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- OA Plus
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- IH-PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CareFirst EPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- CIGNA EPO
- Medicare FFS
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- HighMark
- Choice POS II
- CIGNA PPO
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- POS OA
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- First Health PPO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- United Student Resources
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- UHC Passport
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- IH-Open HMO Option
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Navigate
- Sentara Health
- CareFirst Administrators
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Optimum Choice
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Employee Health Plan
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 5000
- First Health PPO
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- IH-Open POS Plus
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- TRICARE for Life East
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- HumanaChoice PPO
- IH-Open HMO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Aetna HMO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CareFirst NASCO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- IH-POS
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open POS II
- IH-Indemnity
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- IH-EPO Plus
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- TRICARE East Prime
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Choice POS
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Medicare Direct
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- TRICARE East Select
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Aetna Basic
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery
Fellowship: Cleveland Clinic (1996)
Fellowship: George Washington University School of Medicine (1995)
Residency: George Washington University Hospital (1993)
Medical School: George Washington University (1989)
Internship: North Shore University Hospital (1988)
Awards
- Washingtonian Top Doc 2025