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