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Summary

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) has vacancies in the following sections of the service; Care in the Community (CITC), Primary Acute Care Teams (PACT), Call Center and various specialty clinics at multiple locations. AMSAs provide specialized and expert administrative patient support in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
07/02/2025 to 09/30/2025
Salary
$44,959 to - $68,899 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 6
Locations
Few vacancies in the following locations:
Grand Junction, CO
Montrose, CO
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
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
CBSU-12751079-25-CLS
Control number
840029400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent Veterans Health Administration employees and all US Citizens.

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Duties

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IMPORTANT NOTICE: This is an open continuous announcement until September 30, 2025. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available. This announcement may close without advanced notice.

Major duties of the Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) include, but are not limited to:

  • Adhering to the scheduling policies and procedures.
  • Conducting special audits, studies, or surveys to development procedures.
  • Ensure appointments are made from a provider's order.
  • Coordinating administrative services for veterans, family members, caregivers, and general public, administrative and clinical staff to insure continuity of inpatient and outpatient care.
  • Patient check-in process (in its entirety), including the printing of documentation needed for appointment.
  • Explaining the VHA mandate to collect insurance information to Veterans and their families.
  • Collecting, scanning, and updating health insurance information to aid in the revenue collection process.
  • Completing patient check-out process daily, including completion of Return to Clinic (RTC) orders, creation of recall reminders, consult follow-up, no-showing patient appointments according to local policy, and any other action required to complete appointment process.
  • Utilizing reports to assist in care delivery process.
  • Resolving difficult problems and diffuses potential dissatisfaction with VA services.
  • Responsible for VHIC Card process, BeneTravel requests assistance, understanding Heritage Medication Program, postage meters, UPS labels, and any other miscellaneous processes.

Work Schedule: Full time; Work schedule will be determine upon selection.
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay, 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).
Remote: This is not a remote position
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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.
  • Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
  • You may be required to serve a probationary 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 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

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 and Education: (1) Experience - Six months experience of clerical, office, [customer service], or other [administrative] work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position; or (2) Education - One year above high school; or (3) Experience/Education - Equivalent combination of experience and education.
  • English Language Proficiency: MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.
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: Advanced Medical Support Assistant, GS-6 In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements outlined above, candidates must possess the required specialized experience and be able to demonstrate all Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) as summarized below.
  • Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the [GS-5] grade level. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling [patient] appointments and/or consults; entering no-show information; monitoring [appointment requests from multiple] electronic [sources; participating 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; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when [patients 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.).
AND
  • Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate [all of] the KSAs below:
    • i. Ability to collaborate [and] communicate [with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines (e.g. medical doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, clinical pharmacists, and nursing staff) to accomplish team goal setting to ensure medical care to patients is met.]
    • ii. [Ability to independently] set priorities and organize [ ] work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.
    • iii. Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, [electronically, by phone, in person], and in writing, [with internal and external customers]. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels, [as well as resolving patient concerns].
    • iv. Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process [(including, but not limited to, scheduling across interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community models and patient health care portals)] as it relates to access to care.
    • [v.] Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community operational activities that affect patient flow, and patient support care [administrative functions] to include, but not limited to appointment cycles, outside patient referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, provider availability, etc.
    • [vi.] Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians
References: VA Handbook 5005/117 Part II Appendix G45

Physical Requirements: The work performed is predominately clerical in nature and requires no special physical standards. The work is usually performed in an office setting, working with others and/or alone. As typical in an office setting, there is the possibility for multiple distractions from normal operating functions and the incumbent is expected to be able to physically perform the duties of the position, aides permitted (which may include walking, sitting, standing, reaching, and bending.) The work may also include the need for light lifting and carrying (under 15 lbs.) of work materials (i.e.: books, binders, papers, etc.).

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

NOTICE ON TRIAL/PROBATIONARY PERIODS:

The first year of continuous service in the same or similar position of a preference eligible in the excepted service is a trial period. The first 2 years of continuous service in the same or similar position of an individual in the excepted service (other than a preference eligible), is a trial period.

At least 60 days prior to the end of each employee's initial probationary or trial period, management officials shall, to the extent practicable, meet to discuss the employee's performance and conduct (based in part on input from the employee's supervisor), the needs of the agency, and whether their continued employment would advance the public interest, the organizational goals of the agency, and the efficiency of the service.

Within 30 days prior to the end of each employee's probationary or trial period, management officials shall determine whether to finalize the employee's appointment to the Federal service, or whether to terminate their service. Before the employee is terminated, they shall be notified in writing of the effective date of the action.


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.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

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 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.

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