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
Practice locations
Distance from Change Location Enter your Location
7501 Surratts Rd
Ste 304
Clinton, MD, 20735
110 Irving St NW
MHVI-1st Floor North Addition
Washington, DC, 20010
3800 Reservoir Rd NW
PHC Bldg 5th Fl
Washington, DC, 20007
102 Irving St NW
Washington, DC, 20010
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
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- IH-Indemnity
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Tricare Reserve Select
- UHC Passport
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- CIGNA PPO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- IH-POS
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Network OA
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Choice POS
- Choice POS II
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- IH-POS Plus
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- OA Plus
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst Administrators
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- CIGNA EPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- TRICARE East Select
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- TRICARE for Life East
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Aetna HMO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Medicare FFS
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CareFirst NASCO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- TRICARE East Prime
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Employee Health Plan
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Optimum Choice
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- POS OA
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- First Health PPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- MultiPlan, Inc
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- First Health PPO
- Beech Street PPO
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- IH-EPO Plus
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- IH-PPO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- IH-HMO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice
- Aetna Classic 5000
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- HighMark
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- IH-Open POS II
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CareFirst EPO
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Sentara Health
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Choice Fund PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Navigate
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- United Student Resources
- Core Essential (HMO)
- IH-Open HMO
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease
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)