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Lead Health Benefits Assistant

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Lead Health Benefits Assistant is a staff position located in the Patient Registration section of the Health Administration Service Line. Patient Registration encompasses the following functions: Pre-registration, Patient Enrollment, Eligibility Verification and Determination, Means Test, Veterans Health Identification Cards, Decedent Affairs, Personal Funds of Patients, Master Patient Index (MPI), Benefits, Information Desk, Centralized Check-in as well as Admissions and Patient Movements.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
07/01/2025 to 07/11/2025
Salary
$46,484 to - $60,427 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 6
Locations
2 vacancies in the following locations:
Aspinwall, PA
Pittsburgh, PA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CBSZ-12756125-25-JEK
Control number
839832800

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Duties

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The Lead Health Benefits Assistant leads the staff of Patient Registration. Incumbent must be able to perform all of the duties of each of these employees. The incumbent leads a minimum of six (6) or more Health Benefits Assistants, GS-05s, and one Information Receptionist, GS-02. The Lead is responsible to the Supervisor of Patient Registration for ensuring that work assignments of other employees are carried out. Duties include, but are not limited to:

  • Knowledge with matters pertaining to administrative functions of patient care and Veteran's Medical Benefits, to include pre-registration, eligibility, travel, and financial assessments.
  • Vast working knowledge of Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Veterans Health Administration (VHA) directives and laws governing VA medical benefits and all associated programs to include Privacy Act and Freedom of Information Act.
  • Knowledge and ability to locate, extract and present information in clear and effective language, so decisions can be made to best achieve facility goals.
  • Able to provide accurate information to management, employees and Veterans regarding benefits relating to VA Healthcare in a clear and courteous manner.
  • Ability to access documents for accuracy, determine corrective actions if necessary, through effective communication.
  • Distribute and balance workload among employees by establishing workflow and rotation schedules.
  • Provide and assist with on-the-job- training to employees in accordance with established procedures and practices, to include any changes by providing written documentation.
  • Check on work in progress, review work of new employees to ensure proper processes were followed
  • Provide suggestions/feedback to management concerning reassignments, training needs, recognition of outstanding performance.
  • Competent in determining eligibility pertaining to inpatient/outpatient care, death benefits, non-VA care, and beneficiary travel benefits.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm (Heinz), 8:00am to 4:30pm (University Drive-Pittsburgh)
Telework: Not eligible
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Lead Health Benefits Assistant/PD02593A and PD01590A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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
  • You may be required to serve a probationary/trial period
  • 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.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/11/2025.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

  • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
    • Engaging in the processes related to pre-registration, eligibility, travel, kiosk functionality, and centralized check- in/scheduling.
    • Understanding of Federal Regulations, directives and laws governing medical benefits.
    • Assessing disability, demographics, and means test data necessary to capture all Veteran Functions and how the information impacts workload.
    • Assessing documentation for accuracy, determining corrective actions, developing methods of monitoring effectiveness.
    • Training employees to ensure adequate knowledge in the daily use of work tools.
    • Utilize quick judgement in performing under stressful and emotional situations.
    • Assessing workload problems of personnel and develop corrective measures for the Supervisor.
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  • Applies Technology to Tasks
  • Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
  • Manages and Organizes Information
  • Teaches Others


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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: The work is performed in an office setting with a number of staff and customers in the immediate area. There is frequent contact with patients with exposure to disease and disturbed patients. Personal interviews are conducted with patients and employees in the office setting in any area of the HAS areas and inpatient areas. Numerous activities and many distractions characterize work.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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 WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

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.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the 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.

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