About me
Pragnan Kancharla, MD, is a fellowship-trained, board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist who practices at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center and MedStar Health Bel Air Medical Campus. Experienced in treating all types of cancer, he specializes in cancers of the stomach, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas, as well as head and neck cancers, sarcoma, and melanoma. His clinical interests include lung and esophageal cancer, central nervous system, and genitourinary malignancies. He values the role of collaboration in optimizing the care of patients and is dedicated providing the best care possible.
Dr. Kancharla is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Hematology. He is also the editor of the HemeOncBuddy app, which is designed to provide a quick reference of clinical trials and landmark articles in the field of hematology and oncology. In addition, he has been published in multiple peer-reviewed publications and has presented at numerous medical meetings. He earned his medical degree at the NRI Medical College, in Guntur, India, and completed his residency in internal medicine at New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, in New York, followed by a fellowship in hematology/oncology, at Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh.
Philosophy of care
“My approach is team-based and patient-centered. Communication is key and I strive to make sure patients and their families understand their treatment options, as well as the potential benefits and risks to make educated decisions. My goal is to treat the patient and not just the illness.”
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Acquired Hemolytic Anemia
- Amyloidosis
- Anemia
- Anemia Of Chronic Disease
- Aplastic Anemias And Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes
- B Cell Lymphoma
- Bleeding Disorders
- Chronic Eosinophilic Leukemia
- Deficiency Of Essential Nutrients
- Diseases Of Blood And Blood
- Disorders Of White Blood Cells
- Esophagus Cancer
- Family History Of Malignant Neoplasm
- Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)
- Hemorrhagic Conditions
- Hereditary Hemolytic Anemias
- Hodgkin Disease
- Intrahepatic Bile Ducts Cancer
- Long Term Drug Therapy
- Lung Cancer
- Malaise And Fatigue
- Malignant Immunoproliferative Diseases And B
- Malignant Neoplasm
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Bladder
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Cervix Uteri
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Connective And Soft Tissue
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Female Genital Organs
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Lymph Nodes
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Ovary
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Renal Pelvis
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Testicle
- Malignant Neuroendocrine Tumors
- Merkel Cell Carcinoma
- Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)
- Myopathies
- Nasopharynx Cancer
- Necrotizing Vasculopathies
- Neoplasm Analysis
- Neoplasm Of Uncertain Behavior
- Neoplasms Of Lymphoid, Hematopoietic And Related Tissue
- Neutropenia
- Noninfective Gastroenteritis
- Pancreas Cancer
- Papillary Carcinoma Of Breast
- Plasma Cell Neoplasms
- Poisoning
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Sickle
- Stomach Cancer
- Thalassemia
- Venous Embolism
- Vitamin Deficiency Anemia
Procedures I perform
- Blood Banking
- Blood Transfusion
- Bone Cancer Staging
- Bone Marrow Aspiration
- Bone Marrow Biopsy
- Cancer Pain Management
- Cancer Treatment
- Chemotherapy Administration
- Clinical Trials Participation
- Genetic Counseling
- Hematology Consultation
- Immune Cell Therapy Administration
- Immunotherapy
- Intravenous (IV) Fluids
- Leukemia Treatment
- Lymphoma Treatment
- Malignant Tumor Treatment
- Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplant
- Multiple Myeloma Treatment
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
- HealthyBlue PPO
- HighMark
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Sentara Health
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CareFirst Administrators
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Choice Fund PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Employee Health Plan
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Optimum Choice
- UHC Passport
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- IH-POS
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Aetna VA Exchange
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Choice POS
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- TRICARE for Life East
- Choice POS II
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- IH-Open HMO Option
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- First Health PPO
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- IH-EPO Plus
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- United Student Resources
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- IH-Indemnity
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- CareFirst EPO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna Basic
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-Open HMO
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Aetna HMO
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Police and Fire Clinic
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- TRICARE East Select
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- CareFirst NASCO
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- First Health PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- OA Plus
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- CIGNA EPO
- IH-PPO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Medicare FFS
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- TRICARE East Prime
- CIGNA PPO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- United Healthcare Choice
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Beech Street PPO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- POS OA
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Network OA
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Navigate
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- IH-POS Plus
- IH-Open POS II
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- IH-HMO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Fellowship: Allegheny Health Network Medical Education Consortium (2023)
Residency: New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital (2020)
Medical School: N.R.I. Medical College (2015)
Awards
- Baltimore Magazine, Top Doc, 2025