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