About me
Miguel Pinilla Vera, MD, also known as ‘Doctor Miguel’ to his patients, is an attending in advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology at the MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute.
Dr. Miguel Pinilla Vera provides diagnostic testing and evidence-based treatment to patients who are at all stages of heart failure (weakening of the heart muscle)–from the early and asymptomatic stages to the most advanced situations, in which a heart transplant or a mechanical long-term pump might be needed.
A major focus of Dr. Pinilla Vera’s practice involves taking care of patients by using medications; recommending changes in lifestyle; and evaluating the necessity of using mechanical pumps, like left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) and heart transplantation, when medication treatment is no longer an option. He works closely with the cardiac surgeons at MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute, one of the largest LVADs centers in the world, to care for patients who require surgical intervention for advanced heart failure.
His clinical and research interests include diagnosing, treating, and providing long-term care for patients with advanced heart failure and inflammatory cardiomyopathy. Dr. Pinilla Vera is passionate about further understanding the mechanisms of the development of heart failure as well as finding better ways to treat patients with this condition. He plans to collaborate with other physicians and investigators at MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute aiming to discover and offer better options to care for patients with heart failure.
Dr. Pinilla Vera trained in internal medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and in cardiology and heart failure and transplant cardiology at Johns Hopkins University. He also obtained extensive training in molecular research at Duke University and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital-Harvard Medical School, in addition to research training in molecular cardiology at Johns Hopkins. This led to multiple publications in the best scientific journals and, most recently, a scholarship from the prestigious Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI).
Dr. Pinilla Vera is also a native Spanish speaker. When not accompanying his patients in their care journey, Dr. Pinilla Vera enjoys being a husband and father to two kids, swimming, playing soccer, and learning to snowboard and play the drums.
Philosophy of care
“My family members and I have been patients too. I strive to provide and encourage everyone on my team to care for patients as if it was for me or my family members. When I meet my patients for the first time, I emphasize that I have their backs and am navigating this journey with them and their families; rain or shine, through smooth and stormy waters.
“Caring for patients with advanced heart conditions requires a team approach. I prioritize communication with other members of the team across MedStar Health, but especially with referring physicians, who allow me the privilege of becoming a member of their team by taking care of their patients.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
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 Graft Failure
- Cardiac Sarcoidosis
- Cardiac Transplant Rejection
- Cardiac Transplant Vasculopathy
- Cardiomyopathy
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Complications Of Heart Transplant
- Complications Of Transplanted Organs And Tissue
- Complications Of Ventricular Assist Device Implantation
- Heart Disease
- Heart Failure
- Heart Transplant Failure
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Multiple Myeloma With Amyloidosis
- Myocarditis
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Prosthetic Valve Failure
- Pulmonary Edema
- Pulmonary Valve Endocarditis
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Valve Disease With Congestive Heart Failure
Procedures I perform
- Pulmonary Artery Pressure Monitoring
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
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- CIGNA EPO
- IH-Open HMO Option
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- CIGNA PPO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Core Essential (HMO)
- IH-Open HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- IH-Network Only Plus
- IH-Open POS Plus
- CareFirst NASCO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Aetna Basic
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- IH-PPO
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- HighMark
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- CareFirst EPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Choice POS II Open Access
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Medicare Direct
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Employee Health Plan
- TRICARE East Select
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- IH-POS
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- OA Plus
- Aetna Classic 5000
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Medicare FFS
- Choice POS
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Choice Fund PPO
- Choice POS II
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- IH-EPO Plus
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- UHC Passport
- Navigate
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Aetna VA Exchange
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Tricare Reserve Select
- POS OA
- CIGNA Indemnity
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- United Student Resources
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- IH-Open POS II
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Aetna HMO
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Sentara Health
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- IH-Indemnity
- TRICARE East Prime
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- IH-HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- First Health PPO
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- First Health PPO
- Optimum Choice
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Beech Street PPO
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- IH-POS Plus
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- TRICARE for Life East
- MultiPlan, Inc
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- United Healthcare Choice
- CareFirst Administrators
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Network OA
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2022)
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2021)
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2016)
Medical School: Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (2008)