Clarification from the agency

This position is open to Current Permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees and federal employees in the competitive/excepted service and the Public. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

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Duties include but are not limited to:

• Schedules, cancels, re-schedules patient appointments and/or consults; enters no-show information; monitors appointment requests from multiple electronic sources
• Receives, relays and/or answers incoming and outgoing telephone and electronic messages, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the clinic/unit/area
• Provides front-line assistance to customers with complaints.
• Requests for non-technical information, questions or concerns such as those dealing with the patient's eligibility for services, hours of operation, reports/laboratory work, how to complete various medical forms,
• Provides availability of appointments, procedures for obtaining an appointment, requests for appointment changes, and/or travel reimbursement, scheduling, canceling, rescheduling follow-up and/or consult appointments, travel arrangements, and Compensation and Pension appointments, establishing and maintaining office records and information.
• Requisitions needs for office supplies, materials, and services.
• Advises the veteran of their entitlement to various medical benefits and discuss co-payment requirements of veterans in discretionary categories.
• Performs eligibility, copays, and travel reimbursement determinations as well as preauthorization actions.
• Informs patient about the benefits of My HealtheVet in-person authentication and direct patients to areas associated with the program to be registered.
• Participates in huddles with other MSAs and/or clinic staff to determine the daily needs of the clinic. monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility
• Verifies and updates demographics and insurance information when patient's check-in for appointments.
• Coordinates administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals and determines appointment type based on the patient's eligibility status (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, collaterals, research patient, VA employee, etc.).
• Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes.
• Responsible for accessing electronic medical records, reviewing, and verifying provider's orders for patient treatment, entry of doctor's orders, consult requests and reviewing updated alerts from providers.
• Performs pre-registration via telephone during pre-appointment and pre-registration calls by proper identification of patients by requesting identifiers such as date of both, next of kin and full social security number.
• Ensures encounters are properly addressed and closed within their scope to obtain appropriate workload credit.
• Reviews VSE open request, appointments, or consults, for closure.
• Completes clinic closeout- no actions taken and incomplete check-ins during daily reviews.
• Uses and navigates between, various types of office automation equipment, such as computer systems and software; web-based scheduling programs; insurance collection system; scanning software, multiple line phone systems; cameras, and electronic faxing programs to support patient care.
• Demonstrates Courtesy and Professionalism. Communicate, and interact with patients, family members, health care team members, co-workers and the public in a courteous, respectful, and a positive manner to facilitate medical care for patients.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm based on the needs of the Service
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 50522F, 50523F and 50524F

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Experience. No experience required.
• Education. High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations:

GS-3: None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-4:
Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-3). Experience includes, but is not limited to: applying general rules and policies relating to clinic functions, staff, and automated data processing methods in support of treatment to patients; utilize a variety of patient data systems in scheduling patients for treatment and annotates patient records; perform front desk duties, receives telephone call, and visitors to the MSA unit; make and cancel appointments, review patient records for necessary information, and review patient demographics and insurance verification; consult with clinic staff when processing physician scheduling and administrative orders.; OR,
Education: One year of education above high school. (Transcript Required)

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

(a) Knowledge of basic medical terminology to assist in the provision of care to patients.
(b) Skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care in internal or external clinics.
(c) Ability to meet, communicate, and interact with individuals from varying backgrounds and other health care team members in a courteous and helpful manner in order to facilitate medical care for patients.
(d) Ability to use, and navigate between, various types of office automation equipment and software (i.e., computer systems, web-based scheduling programs; insurance collection system; scanning software, multiple line phone systems; electronic faxing programs) to support patient care

GS-5:
Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-4). Experience includes, but is not limited to: scheduling and rescheduling patients for treatment; interviewing patients for appointments; referring patients to other medical specialty clinics; providing information to patients necessary to resolve complaints; interacting with both internal and external customers; reviewing and documenting medical outpatient and inpatient electronic health records, as well as administrative records; verifying third party insurance and updating information in the Insurance Capture Buffer (ICB) system; obtaining medical information from patients; coordinating information and actions related to patient care and services; and scheduling appointments in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines.; OR,
Education: Two years of education above high school. (Transcript Required)

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:
(a) Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients.
(b) Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution.
(c) Ability to operate computerized programs and systems in order to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information (PII) into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports.
(d) Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting.
(e) Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work.
(f) Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external customers

Preferred Experience:

• Previous clerical or administrative type work.
• One year experience, operating computer programs, applications and systems (i.e. email, Word, Excel, Vista, CPRS)
• One year of good customer service experience.
• Previous experience receiving and making telephone calls.
• Experience working independently to accomplish duties or tasks.
• Experience resolving, informal/formal complaints from customers.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS5. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS3 to GS5.

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.

How you will be evaluated

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

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.