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Headshot of Ginnie Abarbanell, MD

Ginnie Abarbanell, MD

University Medicine Associates
Schedule an appointment: 210-644-4600
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Specialty

  • Pediatric Cardiology

Board Affiliation/Certification

  • American Board of Pediatric Cardiology

Education

  • University of Washington School of Medicine (2000)

Residency

  • Pediatrics, Loma Linda University School of Medicine (2003)

Fellowships

  • Pediatric Cardiology, University of Michigan Medical School (2006)

Languages

  • English

Gender

  • Female

University Hospital

4502 Medical Drive
San Antonio,TX 78229

Insurance Accepted

  • 6 Degrees - Transplant
  • 90 Degree Benefits - Third Party Administrator
  • Administrative Concepts - Third Party Administrator
  • Aetna (Coventry) - Work Comp/Auto
  • Aetna Better Health - CHIP/CHIP Perinate Newborn
  • Aetna Better Health - Medicaid STAR
  • Aetna Health - Bexar County Employees (ACO, Premier Basic & Choice PPO)
  • Aetna Health - Commercial (Choice POS II, Elect Choice EPO, Exchange (Silver/Gold HMO))
  • Aetna Health - Commercial (HMO, Managed Choice POS, Meritain, Open Choice PPO)
  • Aetna Health - Commercial (QPOS, SAISD, Select)
  • Aetna Health - Commercial (Whole Health EPO)
  • Aetna Health - Medicaid Dual Preferred (HMO D-SNP)
  • Aetna Health - Medicare Advantage (Eagle PPO, Freedom PPO, Premier HMO, Prime HMO, Value Plus PPO)
  • Aetna Health - Transplant ONLY
  • Allegiance - Universal Benefits Consortium
  • Allwell (Superior HealthPlan) - Medicare Advantage
  • Ancira Enterprises - Direct Employer
  • Benefit Administrative Systems - Third Party Administrator
  • BlueCross BlueShield (Federal Programs) - Commercial (Federal - All Products)
  • BlueCross BlueShield (Out-of-State) - Commercial (Out of State - Blue Card Program Only)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Commercial (Blue Premier HMO, Blue Choice PPO)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Commercial (CHIP, Blue Advantage HMO, Blue Essentials HMO)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Commercial (ERS, TRS, State of TX Employees)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - HPN/EPO (Narrow Network)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Medicaid (STAR, STAR Kids, STAR PLUS)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Medicare Advantage (HMO, PPO)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Medicare-Medicaid Dual Eligible Plans
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Traditional/Par Network
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Transplant Network
  • Carelink Program
  • Century Healthcare - Third Party Administrator
  • CHAMPVA - Governmental
  • Cigna - Employer Specific Network (United Benefits Consortium)
  • Cigna - Employer Specific Network (USAA Employees & Dependents Only)
  • Cigna Health Spring - Medicare Advantage (WellMed)
  • Community First Health Plans - CHIP/CHIP Perinate Newborn
  • Community First Health Plans - Commercial (HMO, Exchange)
  • Community First Health Plans - Medicaid (STAR, STAR Kids, STAR PLUS)
  • Community First Health Plans - Medicare Advantage (HMO)
  • Community First Health Plans - University Family Care Plan
  • Curative - Commercial (All Products)
  • Driscoll Health Plan - Medicaid (All products)
  • EBSO Benefits - Third Party Administrator
  • El Paso Health - CHIP
  • El Paso Health - Medicaid STAR
  • Employers Health Network - Commercial (PPO)
  • Entrust - Third Party Administrator
  • First Health - Commercial (All Products)
  • Gilsbar - Third Party Administrator
  • HealthSmart (Accel) - Commercial (All products)
  • Humana - Transplant Network
  • Imagine 360 - Third Party Administrator
  • Imperial Health - Commercial (Exchange)
  • Imperial Health Plan - Medicare Advantage
  • Independent Medical Systems - Commercial (PPO)
  • Independent Medical Systems - Workers Compensation
  • Interlink - Transplant Network
  • LifeTrac - Transplant Network
  • Medicaid (Traditional) - Medicaid/Medicare
  • Molina Healthcare - CHIP/CHIP Perinate
  • Molina Healthcare - Commercial (Exchange)
  • Molina Healthcare - Medicaid (STAR, STAR Kids, STAR PLUS)
  • Molina Healthcare - Medicare Advantage
  • Molina Healthcare - Medicare-Medicaid Dual Eligible Plans
  • MultiPlan - Commercial (All products)
  • OptumHealth - Transplant Network
  • Partners Direct Health - Uvalde Memorial Hospital (Employees & Dependents only)
  • Point Comfort Underwriters - Refugee Medical Assistance (Adults, Children)
  • Private Healthcare Systems - Commercial (All Products)
  • ProCare Advantage - Medicare Advantage (Special Needs Plan)
  • Provider Network of America - Commercial (All Products)
  • Provider Partners Health Plan - Medicare Advantage (Special Needs Plan)
  • SANA Benefits - Commercial (All Products)
  • Scott & White Health Plan - Commercial (Exchange, HMO, PPO)
  • Scott & White Health Plan - Medicaid/Medicare Advantage (All Products)
  • Superior HealthPlan - CHIP/CHIP Perinate
  • Superior HealthPlan - Medicaid (STAR, STAR Health Foster Care, STAR Kids, STAR PLUS)
  • Superior HealthPlan - Medicare-Medicaid Dual Eligible Plans
  • Surest (United Healthcare) - Commercial (All Products)
  • Tokio Marine - Transplant Network
  • TriWest - TRICARE West Region
  • TriWest - VA Community Care Network
  • Trustmark Benefits (f/k/a CoreSource) - Third Party Administrator
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Charter EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Choice Plus POS/PPO/Choice Plus-HAS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Compass EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Core and Core Choice Plus EPO/HMO)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Doctors Plan EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Heritage EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Indemnity)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Navigate EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Nexus ACO/EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (PPO)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Select EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Select Plus EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Medicare Advantage (AARP Plans, Complete Care Plans, Erickson Advantage Plans)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Medicare Advantage (UnitedHealthcare Group Plans, WellMed)
  • UnitedHealthcare Community Plan - CHIP/CHIP Perinate
  • UnitedHealthcare Community Plan - Medicaid (STAR, STAR Kids, STAR PLUS)
  • UnitedHealthcare Community Plan - Medicare-Medicaid Dual Eligible Plans
  • Universal Benefits Consortium (Allegiance) - Direct Contract with TPA/Broker for select ISDs
  • University of Incarnate Word - Direct Contact with Employer
  • Velocity National Provider Network - Commercial (Multiple Payers)
  • Velocity National Provider Network - Commercial (PPO)
  • Veterans Administration - Governmental
  • WebTPA - Third Party Administrator
  • WellCare - Medicare Advantage
  • WellCare by Allwell (Medicare Advantage - All Products)
  • WellCare by Superior HealthPlan - Dual Align (HMO D-SNP)
  • WellMed (Gonzaba Medical Group IPA) - Medicare Advantage (Transplant Only)
  • WellPoint (Gonzaba) - Medicare Advantage (TRANSPLANTS ONLY)
  • WellPoint - CHIP/CHIP Perinate
  • WellPoint - Medicaid (STAR, STAR Kids, STAR PLUS)
  • WellPoint - Medicare Advantage (All Products)
  • WellPoint - Medicare Advantage (Transplant Only)
  • WellPoint - Medicare Advantage (WellMed)
  • WellPoint - Medicare-Medicaid Dual Eligible Plans
  • WellPoint- Medicare Advantage (Special Needs Plan HMO D-SNP)
  • Zelis - Third Party Administrator
Please contact your health insurance company to confirm provider participation. For billing and insurance questions, please call our Billing Department at 210-358-3260.
“Did you know the heart beats over 100,000 time every day? The heart is truly amazing. I am privileged to care for children with congenital heart disease from before they are born through childhood and to watch them grow.”
I am a pediatric cardiologist at the University Health Cardiovascular Center. I specialize in congenital heart disease, with expertise in pediatric and fetal echocardiography, fetal cardiology and cardiac neurodevelopment. I serve as the director of the Single Ventricle Clinic and director of pediatric cardiology inpatient care, where I focus on providing comprehensive, coordinated care for children with complex heart conditions.
My work in pediatric cardiology allows me the unique privilege of caring for children and their families over time — from prenatal diagnosis through treatment and into childhood. Being part of that journey and watching my patients grow, thrive and reach important milestones is one of the most meaningful aspects of my career.
Philosophy of Care
I believe in caring not only for the infant or child, but for the entire family. Supporting families through diagnosis, treatment and long-term care is essential to achieving the best possible outcomes for every child.
My approach centers on delivering thoughtful, individualized care while supporting patients and families throughout their entire journey.
Favorite Parts of Medicine
  • Watching children recover, grow and enjoy being kids
  • Supporting families through every stage of their child’s heart care journey
Awards & Recognition
  • Co-Chair, Advocacy Committee, Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Outcome Collaborative (CNOC)
  • Castle Connolly Top Doctor, 2012–present
  • San Antonio Top Doctor, 2021–present
Personal Background
I am married to Dr. Aaron Abarbanell, a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon, also with the Cardiovascular Center, and together we have two children.
Hobbies
Outside of medicine, I enjoy off-roading with Jeeps, hiking, backpacking and spending time with my family.

Journal Articles

  1. Kim HS, Abarbanell G, Simpson K, Abarbanell AM, Eghtesady P, Levy PT, Singh GK. Evolution and Predictors of Right Ventricular Failure in Fontan Patients: A Case-Control Study. J Clin Med. 2025 Jun 29;14(13):4602. doi: 10.3390/jcm14134602. PMID: 40648976; PMCID: PMC12250303.
  2. Ginnie Abarbanell, Martina Oneko, Laura Steinhardt, Reuben Yego, Ryan E Wiegand, Phillip A. Swanson, Natasha KC, Dorcas Akach, Tony Sang, Julie Gutman, Elizabeth Nzuu, Allan Dungani, B. Kim Lee Sim, Paul Ndaya Oloo, Kephas Otieno, Dennis K. Bii, Peter F. Billingsley, Eric R James, Simon Kariuki, Aaron Samuels, Said Jongo, Winnie Chebore, Salim Abdulla, Claudia A Daubenberger, Maxmillian Mpina, David Styers, Gail E Potter, Thomas L. Richie, Stephen Hoffman, Robert A. Seder. Safety, immunogenicity and efficacy of PfSPZ Vaccine against malaria in infants in western Kenya: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial in Nature Medicine 27(9):1-10, September 2021.
  3. Ginnie Abarbanell, Kayla N. Anderson, Naomi K. Tepper, Karrie Downing, Elizabeth C. Ailes, Sherry Farr. Contraceptive methods of privately-insured U.S. women with congenital heart defects in American Heart Journal 222, April 2020.
  4. Ginnie Abarbanell, Naomi K. Tepper, Sherry L. Farr. Safety of contraceptive use among women with congenital heart disease: A systematic review in Clinical Infectious Diseases 71(4), September 2019.
  5. Ginnie Abarbanell, Laura Steinhardt, Thomas L Richie, Reuben Yego, Dorcas Akach Mary J Hamel, Julie Gutman, Ryan E Wiegand, Elizabeth Nzuu, Allan Dungani Natasha Kc, Tooba Murshedkar, L W Preston Church, B Kim Lee Sim, Peter Billingsley, Eric R James, Yonas Abebe, Simon Kariuki, Aaron Samuels, Kephas Otieno, Tony Sang, Patrick Kachur, David Styers, Kelly Schlessman, Stephen Hoffman, Robert A Seder, Martina Oneko. Safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of PfSPZ Vaccine administered by direct venous inoculation to infants and young children: findings from an age de-escalation, dose-escalation double-blinded randomized, controlled study in western Kenya in Congenital Heart Disease 14(3), January 2019.
  6. Ginnie Abarbanell, Sherry L. Farr, Karrie F. Downing, Tiffany Riehle-Colarusso . Functional limitations and educational needs among children and adolescents with heart disease in Congenital Heart Disease 13(4), July 2018.
  7. Ginnie Abarbanell, William L Border, Brian Schlosser, Gemma Morrow, Mike Kelleman, Ritu Sachdeva. Preoperative echocardiographic measures in interrupted aortic arch: Which ones best predict surgical approach and outcome? in Congenital Heart Disease 13(4), March 2018.
  8. Riehle-Colarusso TJ, Bergersen L, Broberg CS, Cassell CH, Gray DT, Grosse SD, Jacobs JP, Jacobs ML, Kirby RS, Kochilas L, Krishnaswamy A, Marelli A, Pasquali SK, Wood T, Oster ME. Congenital Heart Public Health Consortium. Databases for Congenital Heart Defect Public Health Studies Across the Lifespan. J Am Heart Assoc. 2016 Oct 26;5(11):e004148. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.116.004148. PMID: 27912209; PMCID: PMC5210337.
  9. Ginnie L. Abarbanell, Gemma Morrow, Mike Kelleman, Kirk R. Kanter, William L Border, Ritu Sachdeva. Echocardiographic Predictors of Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction following Repair of Atrioventricular Septal Defect: LV Outflow Obstruction in AVSD in Congenital Heart Disease 11(6), May 2016.
  10. Abarbanell GL, Goldberg CS, Devaney EJ, Ohye RG, Bove EL, Charpie JR. Early surgical morbidity and mortality in adults with congenital heart disease: the University of Michigan experience. Congenit Heart Dis. 2008 Mar-Apr;3(2):82-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1747-0803.2008.00170.x. PMID: 18380757.
  11. Abarbanell G, Mulla N, Chinnock R, Larsen R. Exercise assessment in infants after cardiac transplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2004 Dec;23(12):1334-8. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2003.09.019. PMID: 15607660.
  12. Abarbanell G, Janner D. Failure to thrive and history of pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in a six-year-old Hispanic boy. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2002 Mar;21(3):259, 268-9. doi: 10.1097/00006454-200203000-00020. PMID: 12005094.
Call 210-644-4600 to request an appointment with this doctor.

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