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Contact Representative (Benefits)

Department of Health and Human Services
Indian Health Service
Locations vary across the Agency.

Summary

Join the Indian Health Service as a Contact Representative (Benefits) and make an impact. In this role, you will identify patients eligible for alternate health coverage, assist with enrollment, and advocate to ensure they effectively use available benefits. This position focuses on improving patient access to healthcare resources and supporting overall community well-being.

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Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
02/20/2026 to 05/22/2026
Salary
$55,882 to - $72,644 per year

Salary is determined by Duty Station; certain locations are covered by Locality Pay Table.

Pay scale & grade
GS 8
Locations
Few vacancies in the following locations:
Camp Verde, AZ
Chinle, AZ
Cibecue, AZ
Dennehotso, AZ
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Certain locations may authorize for reimbursement of relocation expenses or Permanent Change of Station (PCS) in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Multiple - The majority of positions to be filled under this announcement are permanent. This announcement may also be used to fill time-limited appointments such as TERM and Temporary.
Work schedule
Multiple Schedules - The majority of positions to be filled under this announcement are full-time. This announcement may also be used to fill various work schedules, including full-time, part-time (less than 40 hours per week), and intermittent (as needed).
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes - This position may or may not be covered by a bargaining unit, depending on the duty location. Final determination will be made at the time of appointment.
Announcement number
IHS-26-HQ-12890117-ESEP/MP
Control number
858464300

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Duties

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There MAY NOT be immediate vacancies at all locations.

Alternate Resources

  • Provides guidance and serves as an advocate for patients in the effective utilization of alternate resources and the eligibility process for Medicare, Medicaid, Department of Veteran Affairs, Social Security Administration, Bureau of Employment Compensation, Third Party Liability, Worker's Compensation, Children Special Health Services and Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF).
  • Provides information on rights and benefits of multiple alternate resources, advises of patient of nonpayment or denial of claims, serves as advocate intervening of patient's behalf.
  • Identifies and follow-up on pending application, works with families and agencies, ensures timely entry of multiple alternate resources to augment outpatient and inpatient billing efforts.
  • Assists and work closely with all sections related to patient registration, billing, collections and accounts receivable, and health providers in identification, eligibility and utilization of all alternate resources that are available to the native population served. Provides and maintains communication with all parties involved.
Medicare/Medicaid
  • Assists patients, family members, and all other parties involved in initiating and completing the Medicare and Medicaid applications. Interprets rules and regulations on usage of the eligibility coverage. Interviews all patients eligible for Medicare and Medicaid benefits to ensure they understand their fair entitlement in non-IHS and IHS facilities.
  • Works with various aid programs and other disciplines that may assist in developing registers of eligible patients through their current activities related in determining the health status of the elderly. Assists the elderlies and their families with application for alternate resources and interprets rules and regulations for Medicare and Medicaid third party coverage.
  • Coordinates with local, community, county, tribal affiliates and agencies to establish eligibility or provide accurate referrals in establishing eligibility for Medicare, Medicaid, food aid assistance, Social Security Disability, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
  • Assists with completing the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Disability enrollment process. Helps patients and/or families in completing the required forms. Provides and independently initiates a progressive review of the disability process with the Social Security Administration and the State Developmental and Disability programs.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Selectee may be subject to a probationary period
ESEP appointees typically serve a two year trial period
U.S. Citizenship is required
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959

IHS Selectees that will work in an IHS health care facility may be subject to Employee Health Policies related to Measles and Rubella, and seasonal influenza immunizations. Vaccine exemption requests may be available according to the National and/or Service Unit guidance.

On-call hours or standby duty may be required.

Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.

You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you.

Background Investigation Requirement:

This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment.

A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service.

Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance. Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: Knowledge direct care services regulations, policies and procedures including regulations of the Direct and Purchased Referred Care patient care system; eligibility requirements for Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security Administration, County DHS offices, Tribal programs and alternate funding and resources. Provided guidance and served as an advocate for patients in the effective utilization resources and the eligibility process. Identify, assist, follow-up patients on pending applications, ensures entry of multiple alternate resources to augment outpatient and inpatient billing efforts, works closed with other involved parties.

Education: Generally not applicable.

Time In Grade
Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP).

You must meet all qualification requirements by the respective cut-off day of rating to be eligible for consideration.

Education

There are no education requirements.

Additional information

This is an Open Continuous Announcement. There MAY NOT be immediate vacancies at all locations. You will be limited to selecting no more than 5 locations during the application process, and will only be considered for the locations you select. Eligible applicants will be referred out as vacancies occur.

Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.

This position is covered by a Bargaining Unit.

Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. A service agreement will be required.

This position has no known promotion potential.

You will be evaluated for this position in accordance with the OPM Merit Hiring Plan.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide short essay responses (200 words or less each) to the following four questions.

  1. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government?
  2. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness?
  3. How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role?
  4. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements?
  • Your responses are optional and will not be scored.
  • However, they may be reviewed by hiring managers and agency leadership (or designees) during the evaluation process.
  • You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot).

Financial Suitability Requirement:

This position requires a review of the applicant's financial history as part of the personnel security and suitability determination. Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility, maintain good standing with creditors, and satisfy all legal financial obligations prior to applying.

Individuals with substantial delinquent or unresolved financial obligations-including, but not limited to, delinquent federal or state tax liabilities, defaulted federal student loans, court-ordered fines or fees, or child support arrears-may be deemed unsuitable for employment with the Indian Health Service (IHS).

The first cutoff date will be Friday, February 27, 2026, at 11:59 pm EST. Future cutoff dates will be each Friday thereafter at 11:59 pm EST until the closing date.
You must complete the application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) of the cut-off date/day listed.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the application process is complete, the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications.

Structured Resume Review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required competencies. SMEs will review ONLY the first two (2) pages of your resume. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume).

Once the announcement closes, we will conduct a review of your application package to verify your eligibility and qualifications. If you are found qualified, your application will move forward to additional phases of the review process.

To ensure a fair and consistent hiring process, IHS uses a multi-hurdle assessment process. Each "hurdle" must be passed before moving to the next step. This helps us evaluate applicants based on job-related qualifications, competencies, and experience.

Below is what applicants can expect:
________________________________________
1. Minimum Qualifications Review - Hurdle 1
HR reviews your resume to confirm you meet the eligibility and minimum qualifications for the position (education and/or licensure (if applicable), listed above).
Note: the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the minimum qualifications.
If you meet eligibility and minimum qualifications, you move to the next hurdle.
2. Technical Assessment (Subject Matter Expert Resume Review) - Hurdle 2
A panel of subject matter experts (SME) will review your resume to determine whether you clearly show the required specialized experience listed below.
Note: SMEs will review ONLY the first two (2) pages of your resume. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume).

This assessment is Pass/Fail.

Applicants who demonstrate the required experience will advance.
Knowledge direct care services regulations, policies and procedures including regulations of the Direct and Purchased Referred Care patient care system; eligibility requirements for Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security Administration, County DHS offices, Tribal programs and alternate funding and resources. Provided guidance and served as an advocate for patients in the effective utilization resources and the eligibility process. Identify, assist, follow-up patients on pending applications, ensures entry of multiple alternate resources to augment outpatient and inpatient billing efforts, works closed with other involved parties.

Demonstration of these specialized experience statements ascertain your competency in the following:

  • Oral Communication
  • Reasoning
  • Technical Competence


Click here to view vacancy questions: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12890117.

The first cutoff date will be Friday, February 27, 2026, at 11:59 pm EST. Future cutoff dates will be each Friday thereafter at 11:59 pm EST until the closing date.

Your application will remain active for 90 days from the submission of application.

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