About me
Bergen Kassoff, PA-C, is a nationally certified physician assistant at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and MedStar Health Medical Center at Mitchellville. She specializes in gastroenterology and closely collaborates with Dr. Danny Shearer, Dr. Gary Thompson, Dr. Lauren George and Dr. Arthur West. She is an active member of the American College of Gastroenterology and the American Academy of Physician Associates.
Ms. Kassoff is skilled in diagnosing and treating a wide range of gastrointestinal conditions, including but not limited to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), esophagitis, gastritis, H. pylori infection, peptic ulcer disease, pancreaticobiliary disorders, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and colitis. Additionally, she is deeply committed to cancer prevention and regularly conducts preprocedural visits for colorectal cancer screenings. Her comprehensive approach to care includes lifestyle modifications, medication management, and other therapeutic interventions.
A native of the DMV, Ms. Kassoff began her medical career as a volunteer emergency medical technician (EMT) at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad. She went on to Pennsylvania and graduated with highest honors from Lehigh University, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in behavioral neuroscience. After her undergraduate studies, she worked in clinical research at Children’s National Hospital. Although passionate about research, Ms. Kassoff wanted to have direct involvement in patient care, so she decided to get her Master of Science in physician assistant studies at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM). Ms. Kassoff is honored to be back home serving the community that raised her.
Philosophy of Care
"My approach to healthcare is centered on a patient-first philosophy, emphasizing compassionate, holistic care tailored to each individual's unique needs. I want my patients to know that I am their advocate and will strive to help them reach their health goals. I believe in the importance of patient education and empowerment, ensuring that those under my care are fully informed and active participants in their treatment plans.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Colonoscopy
- Diverticulitis
- Endoscopic Mucosal Resection
- Enteroscopy
- Gallstones
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) In Children
- Hemorrhoidectomy
- Hydrogen Breath Test
- Hysteroscopic Polyp Resection
- Intestinal Dysmotility
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Stomach Ulcers
- Upper Endoscopy
- Urea Breath Test
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abdominal Distension
- Abdominal Pain
- Abnormal Body Structure Imaging
- Abnormal Stool
- Achalasia
- Altered Bowel Habits
- Anal Cancer
- Anal Fissures
- Anal Venous Thrombosis
- Anus And Rectum Diseases
- Aphagia
- Aphagia And Dysphagia
- Appendiceal Cancer
- Benign Neoplasm Of Colon, Rectum, Anus And Anal Canal
- Benign Tumor
- Bile Duct Stones
- Biliary Tract Disease
- Bowel Obstruction
- Cancer Of The Appendix
- Choledocholithiasis
- Chronic Constipation
- Chronic Diarrhea
- Colitis
- Colon Cancer
- Colon Disease
- Colon Polyps
- Colonic Diverticulosis
- Colonoscopy
- Colorectal Malignancy
- Constipation
- Crohn's Disease
- Crohn's Disease [Regional Enteritis]
- Depression
- Diaphragmatic Hernia
- Digestive System Diseases
- Digestive System Symptoms
- Diseases Of Esophagus
- Diseases Of Stomach And Duodenum
- Diverticulitis
- Duodenal Ulcer
- Duodenitis
- Dysphagia
- Esophageal Cancer
- Esophageal Diseases
- Esophagitis
- External Hemorrhoids
- Flatulence
- Functional Dyspepsia
- Functional Intestinal Disorders
- Gallbladder Cancer
- Gallstones
- Gas And Bloating
- Gastric Cancer
- Gastritis
- Gastroenteritis
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) In Children
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)
- H. Pylori Infection
- Hemorrhoids
- Hemorrhoids And Perianal Venous Thrombosis
- Hepatitis
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Intestinal Dysmotility
- Intestinal Infections
- Intestinal Stenosis
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Liver Cancer
- Liver Cirrhosis
- Liver Failure
- Noninfective Gastroenteritis
- Pancreatic Diseases
- Pancreatitis
- Perianal Pain
- Peripheral Vascular Disease Of The Intestines
- Personal History Of Diseases And Conditions
- Polycystic Liver Disease
- Postprandial Diarrhea
- Rectal Cancer
- Rectal Pain
- Stomach Cancer
- Stomach Ulcers
- Throat Pain
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Vaginal Wall Prolapse
- Variceal Bleeding
- Vascular Disorders Of Intestine
- Viral Hepatitis
Procedures I perform
- Anal Electromyography
- Barium Enema
- Bowel Resection
- Capsule Endoscopy
- Colonoscopy
- Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan
- Diagnostic Radiology
- Diarrhea Management
- Endoscopic Mucosal Resection
- Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
- Enterectomy
- Enteroscopy
- Esophageal Dilation
- Gastric Manometry
- Gastrointestinal Motility Study
- Gastrointestinal Tube Placement
- Gynecological Cancer Screening
- Helicobacter Pylori Stool Test
- Hemorrhoidectomy
- Hepatitis E Treatment
- Hydrogen Breath Test
- Hysteroscopic Polyp Resection
- Immunoglobulin Administration
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Lactose Intolerance Testing
- Liver Biopsy
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Mrcp (MAGNETIC RESONANCE CHOLANGIOPANCREATOGRAPHY)
- Neonatal Abdominal Paracentesis
- Pancreatic Disease Management
- Skin Allergy Testing
- Sonohysterography
- Testicular Ultrasound
- Transrectal Ultrasound
- Upper Endoscopy
- Urea Breath Test
- Urinary Incontinence Treatment
- Variceal Band Ligation
- Virtual Autopsy
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
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- POS OA
- UHC Passport
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CIGNA PPO
- Employee Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- First Health PPO
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Beech Street PPO
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- IH-POS
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Medicare FFS
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Network OA
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- IH-HMO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- IH-Open HMO Option
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- United Healthcare Choice
- CareFirst NASCO
- Medicare Direct
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II Open Access
- IH-EPO Plus
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- First Health PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- IH-POS Plus
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Blue Choice Advantage
- BlueChoice Open Access
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- TRICARE for Life East
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- TRICARE East Prime
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- IH-Open HMO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 3500
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- IH-Open POS Plus
- IH-Open POS II
- CareFirst Administrators
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Choice POS II
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Aetna HMO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- United Student Resources
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Sentara Health
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- TRICARE East Select
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Optimum Choice
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CareFirst EPO
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- IH-PPO
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- OA Plus
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- HighMark
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Choice POS
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Choice Fund PPO
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Navigate
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- IH-Indemnity
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- CIGNA EPO
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Core Essential (HMO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
Education
Board Certification: National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants,
Graduate: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (2023)