Paulina Skaff, MD| Cardiovascular Disease | MedStar Health
Paulina Skaff, MD
Provider is directly employed by MedStar Health
Provider is directly employed by MedStar HealthSpecialties: Cardiovascular Disease
Languages: English
About me
Paulina Skaff, MD, is a noninvasive cardiologist at MedStar Cardiology Associates at Annapolis. She is board-certified in cardiology, echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, and internal medicine.
Dr. Skaff treats patients for general heart-related diseases such as coronary heart disease, heart failure, hypertension, valvular disorders, atrial fibrillation, and lipid disorders. With specialized fellowship training in women’s cardiovascular health, her clinical interests include coronary microvascular dysfunction, spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA), ischemia with non-obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA), and cardiovascular disease during pregnancy.
Recognizing that every patient is unique, Dr. Skaff takes a holistic, patient-centered approach to care, developing individualized care plans that integrate prevention, advanced cardiovascular diagnostics, and evidence-based treatment strategies. She actively educates patients on the latest prevention strategies, optimizes appropriate screenings, and manages cardiovascular disease through lifestyle interventions, such as diet and physical activity, as well as medications when appropriate.
Dr. Skaff earned her medical degree from the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. Next, she completed her residency in internal medicine and fellowship in general cardiology at West Virginia University. She went on to conduct a special fellowship in women’s heart and preventive cardiology at Cedars Sinai Women’s Heart Center, where she served as Chief Fellow.
Outside of the clinic, Dr. Skaff keeps her own heart healthy by taking pilates and barre classes and walking her dog Echo (named after echocardiogram).
Philosophy of Care
“I know that patients can often feel overwhelmed by the amount of information they receive, which is why I prioritize clear and consistent communication. It’s important that we are on the same page so we can make decisions together that align with their personal needs, life circumstances, and goals. I believe everyone deserves access to high-quality care, and I am deeply committed to addressing health disparities. Above all, I want my patients to know that we are a team, working together every step of the way.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Abnormal Breathing
- Blood Pressure Monitoring
- Chest Pain
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Hypertension
- Personal History Of Diseases And Conditions
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Sleep Disorders
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abnormal Body Structure Imaging
- Abnormal Breathing
- Abnormal Function Study Results
- Abnormal Heart Rhythm
- Acute Coronary Syndrome
- Acute Endocarditis
- Acute Ischemic Heart Diseases
- Acute Myocardial Infarction
- Amyloidosis
- Angina
- Angina Pectoris
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Regurgitation
- Aortic Stenosis
- Aortic Valve Disease
- Arrhythmia
- Arterial Embolism
- Artery Disorders
- Atherosclerosis
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial Flutter
- Atrioventricular Block
- Benign Neoplasm Of Intrathoracic Organs
- Bradycardia
- Cardiac Arrest
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Cardiac Murmurs
- Cardiac Sarcoidosis
- Cardiac Tamponade
- Cardiomyopathy
- Cerebrovascular Diseases
- Chest Pain
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Circulatory System Complications
- Circulatory System Disorders
- Cocaine Related Disorders
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Complications Of Procedures
- Complications Of The Puerperium
- Complications Of Transplanted Organs And Tissue
- Congenital Malformation Syndromes Affecting Multiple Systems
- Congenital Malformations Of Great Arteries
- Congenital Malformations Of Heart
- Congenital Malformations Of Musculoskeletal System
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Coronary Artery Spasm
- Cough
- Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Disorders Of Autonomic Nervous System
- Disorders Of Lipoprotein Metabolism And Lipidemias
- Disorders Of White Blood Cells
- Dyspnea On Exertion
- Emergency Use Of U07
- Emotional State Symptoms
- Family History Of Disabilities And Chronic Diseases
- Gout
- Heart Attack
- Heart Block
- Heart Disease
- Heart Disease In Women
- Heart Failure
- Heart Murmur
- Heart Palpitations
- High Blood Pressure
- High Cholesterol
- Hypertension
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Hypotension
- Irregular Heartbeat
- Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
- Ischemic Heart Disease
- Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
- Long Term Drug Therapy
- Mitral Regurgitation
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Myocardial Infarction
- Myocarditis
- Nervous And Musculoskeletal Symptoms
- Pain In Throat And Chest
- Palpitations
- Pericardium Diseases
- Peripheral Artery Disease
- Peripheral Vascular Diseases
- Personal History Of Diseases And Conditions
- Personal Risk Factors
- Postprocedural States
- Precerebral Artery Occlusion
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Problems Related To Lifestyle
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Pulmonary Heart Disease
- Respiratory Disorders
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Sarcoidosis
- Shock
- Shortness Of Breath
- Sick Sinus Syndrome
- Sleep Disorders
- Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Syncope
- Systemic Connective Tissue Involvement
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
- Tachycardia
- Transient Cerebral Ischemic Attacks
- Transplanted Organ And Tissue Status
- Tricuspid Stenosis
- Venous Embolism
- Ventricular Arrhythmia
- Ventricular Fibrillation
- Ventricular Septal Defect
- Ventricular Tachycardia
Procedures I perform
- Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Ablation Therapy
- Angioplasty
- Aortic Dissection Repair
- Atherectomy
- Atrial Fibrillation Ablation
- Atrial Septal Defect Closure
- Blood Pressure Monitoring
- Cardiac Angioplasty
- Cardiac Biopsy
- Cardiac Catheterization
- Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
- Cardiovascular Disease Screening
- Cardioversion
- Carotid Artery Stenting
- Carotid Endarterectomy
- Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Test
- Cholesterol Screening
- Coronary Angioplasty
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Coronary Artery Disease Management
- Coronary Artery Disease Treatment
- Coronary Artery Stenting
- Coronary Stenting
- Echocardiography
- Electrocardiogram
- Electrophysiology Study
- Event Monitoring
- Exercise Stress Test
- Extended Ecg Analysis
- External Electrocardiographic Recording
- Heart Biopsy
- Heart Failure Management
- Heart Failure Treatment
- Heart Murmur Treatment
- Heart Rhythm Monitoring
- Holter Monitoring
- Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator
- Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) Implantation
- Implantable Loop Recorder
- Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump
- Intravascular Ultrasound
- Lipid Profile
- Mitral Valve Repair
- Myocardial Infarction Treatment
- Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
- Nuclear Stress Test
- Pacemaker Interrogation
- Palpitation Treatment
- Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
- Peripheral Angioplasty
- Permanent Pacemaker Insertion
- Preventive Cardiology
- Pulmonary Embolism Treatment
- Pulmonary Valve Replacement
- Pulmonary Vein Isolation
- Radiofrequency Ablation
- Renal Artery Stenting
- Stent Placement
- Stress Test
- Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) Ablation
- Syncope Treatment
- Tilt Table Test
- Transesophageal Echocardiography
- Transthoracic Echocardiography
- Tricuspid Valve Repair
- Ventricular Assist Device
- 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
- UHC Passport
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- CareFirst EPO
- First Health PPO
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- IH-Open HMO
- CIGNA EPO
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- First Health PPO
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Beech Street PPO
- OA Plus
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Police and Fire Clinic
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Aetna Basic
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Employee Health Plan
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II Open Access
- HighMark
- Aetna HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- POS OA
- IH-POS
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Choice POS II
- IH-HMO
- United Healthcare Choice
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Choice POS
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- IH-EPO Plus
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Choice Fund PPO
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- CIGNA Indemnity
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Sentara Health
- Medicare Direct
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- TRICARE for Life East
- Network OA
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- IH-POS Plus
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- MultiPlan, Inc
- IH-PPO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- TRICARE East Select
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- United Student Resources
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- IH-Open POS II
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Optimum Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- IH-Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- CareFirst Administrators
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Navigate
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- CareFirst NASCO
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- CIGNA PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Medicare FFS
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- TRICARE East Prime
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Tricare Reserve Select
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease
Residency Program: West Virginia University Hospitals (2021)
Medical School: Marshall University School of Medicine (2018)