Heather A. Van Mater, MD, MS
Pediatric Rheumatologist
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About Me
I take care of kids who have autoimmune diseases, from infancy to early adulthood. Classically, it’s things like arthritis and lupus that are well-known, but there are also more rare conditions that are caused by the immune system misfiring. I have a particular interest in autoimmune brain diseases. I think it’s really important that as a pediatrician you are the child’s doctor first, but you also have to consider how families feel about care. It’s a partnership from the start. We educate families about the risks and benefits and then find a treatment plan that works. I think the best part of being a pediatric rheumatologist is the treatments we have that are so remarkable in our ability to bring kids back to their old life. It is also a specialty that allows you to follow children throughout their childhood and be a part of that journey. That is so rewarding and really fun.
LGBTQ+ Identified or Ally
- Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatrics, Rheumatology 2021
- Chief, Division of Rheumatology, Pediatrics, Rheumatology 2020
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Ratings and Reviews
The ratings and reviews are based on patient responses to the overall provider rating question from the survey. The question reads: “Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst provider possible and 10 is the best provider possible, what number would you use to rate this provider?” Responses are converted to a 5-point rating system and applied consistently to all providers. Learn more about our survey process. Patients who see some types of providers receive a different version of the patient satisfaction survey. Those results are not available on DukeHealth.org.
Training and Education
Clinical Focus and Research
- Arthritis Foundation Fellowship Training Grant 2019 awarded by Arthritis Foundation 2020 - 2024
- Chang, Margaret H., Fatima Barbar-Smiley, Shoghik Akoghlanian, Joanne Drew, Sheila T. Angeles-Han, Megan Quinlan-Waters, John F. Bohnsack, et al. “Implementation study of the CARRA Uveitis Consensus Treatment Plans: feasibility for clinical practice and applicability for research.” Pediatr Rheumatol Online J 22, no. 1 (October 7, 2024): 88. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12969-024-01022-x.
- Sullivan, Meghan I., Megha J. Gupta, Kathryn A. Taylor, Heather A. Van Mater, and Carolyn E. Pizoli. “Disease Course and Response to Immunotherapy in Children With Childhood Disintegrative Disorder: A Retrospective Case Series.” J Child Neurol 39, no. 1–2 (January 2024): 11–21. https://doi.org/10.1177/08830738231220278.
- Santoro, Jonathan D., Noemi A. Spinazzi, Robyn A. Filipink, Panteha Hayati-Rezvan, Ryan Kammeyer, Lina Patel, Elise A. Sannar, et al. “Immunotherapy responsiveness and risk of relapse in Down syndrome regression disorder.” Transl Psychiatry 13, no. 1 (August 8, 2023): 276. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-023-02579-z.
- Van Mater, H. A., and C. E. Rabinovich. “Scleroderma and Raynaud Phenomenon.” In Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics: Volume 1-2, 1507-1514.e1, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-88305-4.00201-7.
- Tran, P., J. Frankovich, H. Van Mater, R. C. Dale, N. Or-Geva, A. McHugh, and M. Thienemann. “Pediatric Inflammatory Brain Disease.” In Complex Disorders in Pediatric Psychiatry: A Clinician’s Guide, 169–88, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-51147-6.00014-4.
- Jones, Jordan T., Chelsey Smith, Mara L. Becker, Daniel Lovell, and CARRA Registry Investigators. “Down Syndrome-Associated Arthritis Cohort in the New Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Registry: Clinical Characteristics, Treatment, and Outcomes.” In Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken), 73:1739–45, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.24418.
- Van Mater, Heather A. “2.3 BEHCET’S TO SJOGREN’S: THE ABCS OF AUTOIMMUNE BRAIN DISORDERS.” In Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 58:S131–32. Elsevier BV, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2019.07.625.
- Adams, Ashley V., William Gallentine, Heather A. Van Mater, and GenaLynne C. Mooneyham. “4.36 Identification of Clinical Phenotypes Within Seropositive Autoimmune Encephalitis Among Children and Adolescents.” In Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 57:S216–S216. Elsevier BV, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2018.09.262.
Insurance Accepted
Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below.
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Aetna
- Aetna Choice POS, Aetna Choice POS II
- Aetna Elect Choice HMO, Aetna Open Access Elect Choice
- Aetna Health Network Only, Aetna Health Network Option
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Limited Benefit Insurance PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice POS
- Aetna Medicare Assure Plan (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Medicare Eagle Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Essential Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Value Plan (HMO)
- Aetna Open Access HMO, Open Access Aetna Select, Aetna Open Access Managed Choice
- Aetna Open Choice PPO
- Aetna PCP Coordinated POS Plan
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (QPOS)
- Aetna Select HMO
- Aetna Traditional Choice
- Aetna Voluntary Indemnity Group Plan
- Aetna Whole Health – Duke WakeMed WKCC
- Aetna/CVS Health
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Ambetter
- Ambetter of North Carolina
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Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC
- Blue Advantage
- Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*
- Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA)
- Blue Select
- NC State Employees Health Plan
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan.
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Cigna
- Cigna Behavioral Health (*Limited eligibility)
- Cigna Choice Plus
- Cigna Connect Individual Family Plan
- Cigna Open Access
- Cigna Open Access Plus
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*Please call Cigna Behavioral Heath to see if the provider is participating in your plan.
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Duke Group Plans
- Duke Basic
- Duke Select
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Experience Health
- Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
- Gateway Health Alliance
- Healthgram
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Humana
- Humana Choice (PPO)
- Humana Choice - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana ChoiceCare - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana Gold Choice - Medicare Advantage (PFFS)
- Humana Gold Plus - Medicare Advantage (HMO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage Group Plan - NC State Retirees
- MedCost
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Medicare
- First Medicare Direct
- Medicare Part A
- Medicare Part B
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NC Medicaid
- AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
- Carolina Complete Health
- Healthy Blue
- NC Medicaid Direct
- WellCare of North Carolina
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TRICARE
- TRICARE Prime
- TRICARE Prime Remote
- TRICARE Select
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United Healthcare
- AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 2 (HMO-POS)
- AARP Medicare Complete (HMO, PPO)*
- AARP Medicare Complete Essential (HMO)*
- All Savers Alternate Funding
- All Savers Fully Insured
- United Healthcare (HMO, PPO, POS)**
- United Healthcare Charter/Charter Balance/Charter Plus
- United Healthcare Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Core/Core Essential
- United Healthcare Navigate/Navigate Plus/Navigate Balanced
- United Healthcare Option PPO
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Options PPO
- United Healthcare Select/Select Plus
- United Healthcare Shared Services - Harvard Pilgrim/UHC Options PPO Network
- United Medical Resources (UMR)
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan.
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**Duke Health does not participate in UHC plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Before scheduling your appointment, we strongly recommend you contact your insurance company to verify that the Duke Health location or provider you plan to visit is included in your network. Your insurance company will also be able to inform you of any co-payments, co–insurances, or deductibles that will be your responsibility. If you proceed in scheduling an appointment and your health insurance benefits do not participate with Duke, your out of pocket liability may be higher. We will contact you regarding your coverage and patient liability. If you are uninsured, learn more about our financial assistance policy.