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