Learn More About Me
Specialties: Cardiac Surgery
Languages: English
410-554-6534
About me
Brian Bethea, MD, is the Chief of Cardiac Surgery at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital and the regional chief of outreach for the Baltimore region. He is board certified in thoracic surgery.
Dr. Bethea’s clinical interests involve minimally invasive approaches to valvular and structural heart disease. This includes procedures such as TAVR, transcatheter mitral valve repair and replacement, transcatheter tricuspid valve repair and replacement, and multi-arterial coronary revascularization.
Dr. Bethea is a member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
After earning his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma, Dr. Bethea completed his residency in general surgery, followed by a fellowship in cardiac surgery, at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Dr. Bethea has participated in nearly all major U.S. clinical trials for TAVR and has been involved in early feasibility trials for transcatheter mitral valve repair and replacement. Due to his reputation, excellent outcomes, and high surgical volumes, he was selected to participate in past trials for the mitral and tricuspid valves, including Tendyne™, MitraClip™, ENCIRCLE, and TRILUMINATE. He is the only surgeon in Maryland to offer patient the latter two options.
He is a physician educator and proctor, traveling throughout the world to teach valve repair and replacement techniques to other surgeons. He serves as selection chair for the Tendyne trial, overseeing all patient selection for the entire trial.
Dr. Bethea has presented his work internationally and is widely published in all the major cardiothoracic medical journals. He was among the first authors to be published on the topic of transcatheter mitral valve replacement–a rapidly evolving and expanding field.
Philosophy of Care
“I aim to provide personalized, tailored care to each of my patients. Whether it’s a minimally invasive procedure, an open procedure, or a hybrid approach, I find the method that will best fit the person, rather than the other way around. Since I have been involved in the development of so many new technologies, I can provide patients with all their options, so we can make an informed decision together. I wholeheartedly believe in a team approach to providing care, and view patients, their families, and their referring physicians as integral members of the care team.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Reoperation, Coronary Artery Bypass
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Acute Bacterial Endocarditis
- Acute Endocarditis
- Aneurysm Of Ascending Aorta
- Aneurysm Of Descending Aorta
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Arch Aneurysm
- Aortic Valve Disease
- Aortic Valve Regurgitation
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial Septal Defect
- Bicuspid Aortic Valve
- Cardiac Arrest
- Cardiac Tamponade
- Cardiomyopathy
- Complications Of Procedures
- Congenital Heart Valve Defects
- Coronary Artery Blockage
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Heart Attack
- Heart Bypass Surgery
- Marfan Syndrome
- Mitral Regurgitation
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Stenosis
- Myocardial Infarction
- Patent Foramen Ovale
- Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
- Rheumatic Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Thoracic Aortic Dissection
- Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm
- Tricuspid Stenosis
- Ventricular Septal Defect
Procedures I perform
- Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Aortic Root Replacement
- Aortic Rupture Treatment
- Aortic Valve Dilation
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Aortic Valve Supplement
- Atrial Septal Defect Repair
- Cardiac Myxoma Excision
- Cardiac Sampling And Pressure Measurement
- Cardiac Ultrasound
- Cardioversion
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
- Endoscopy With Vein Harvest
- Excision Of Left Atrium
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Heart Transplant
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Treatment
- Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump
- Intraaortic Balloon Pump Placement
- Maze Procedure For Atrial Fibrillation
- Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
- Mitral Balloon Valvuloplasty
- Occlusion Of Left Atrial Appendage
- Pericardial Window Creation
- Pulmonary Valve Replacement
- Reoperation, Coronary Artery Bypass
- Repair Tricuspid Valve
- Subclavian Artery Extirpation
- Thoracic Aneurysm Repair
- Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair
- Tricuspid Valve Repair
- Tricuspid Valve Supplement With Synthetic Substitute
- Valvuloplasty
- Ventricular Restoration
- Ventricular Septum Supplement With Zooplastic Tissue
Practice locations
Distance from Change Location Enter your Location
5009 Honeygo Center Dr
Ste 210
Perry Hall, MD, 21128
3300 N Calvert St
2nd Fl
Baltimore, MD, 21218
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
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- IH-EPO Plus
- CareFirst NASCO
- Sentara Health
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- UHC Passport
- Choice POS
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Medicare Direct
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- HighMark
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- TRICARE East Prime
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst Administrators
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Choice Fund PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Aetna Classic 3500
- POS OA
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- IH-HMO
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- TRICARE for Life East
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- IH-Open POS II
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- IH-Indemnity
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- First Health PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Navigate
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- IH-PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- IH-Open HMO
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- First Health PPO
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CareFirst EPO
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Medicare FFS
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- TRICARE East Select
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- IH-POS Plus
- Network OA
- IH-Open HMO Option
- CIGNA PPO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- CIGNA EPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Choice POS II Open Access
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Employee Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- MultiPlan, Inc
- United Student Resources
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- IH-Open POS Plus
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- HumanaChoice PPO
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- OA Plus
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- IH-POS
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Optimum Choice
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Beech Street PPO
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2008)
Residency: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2005)
Medical School: The University Of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (1999)
Awards
- Baltimore magazine, Top Doctor, 2021, 2025
- Newsweek ranked “2025 America’s Leading Doctors-Cardiothoracic Surgery”