As Health Benefits Assistant for the Health Administration Service (HAS) at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), the incumbent(s) provides a high level of administrative and data support to the HAS to Include the Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) as well as to the VAPAHCS. The primary function of this position Is to make eligibility determinations for VA healthcare which requires an extensive knowledge of VA laws, directives, policies and procedures.

Duties

The incumbent will be responsible to ensure accurate, timely and consistent information is entered into the appropriate database. Also, the incumbent(s) will provide the vision for development of monitors in measuring all data input. Incumbent will establish in-depth training and work with the HAS Trainer to ensure that the HAS and other identified VAPAHCS staff are educated. Incumbent(s) will serve as advisors and experts to the HAS Section Chiefs and support the management information components of all health eligibility related programs. This includes not only entering data and information when necessary, but also reviewing reports, records and statistical computations for accuracy and propriety. Local input Is compared with the Health Eligibility Center (HEC) in Atlanta, GA and also will affect data entry for encounter entries that go to Austin for workload credit The Incumbent(s) must review the Incomplete Encounter Management Module (IEMM) report in order to clean up any discrepancies in administrative data that would prevent the transmission of encounters. Major duties and responsibilities include, but not limited to: Reviews, verifies, and analyzes data submitted for consistency with financial and program objectives, and adherence to VA directives. Provide exceptional customer service by exceeding the customer's expectations. Accurately generates patient data cards for veterans applying for care using the Veterans Health Identification Card (VHIC) system. Responsible for assisting with the patient vesting and will assure appropriate monitoring and reporting is accomplished within established time frames. May also be tasked with processing Beneficiary Travel claim requests. Arranges all modes of transportation via air ambulance, commercial air, taxi, ambulance bus and/or independent transports. Reviews requests for reimbursement of travel costs for the purpose of assuring compliance with regulations and procedures, completeness, accuracy, internal consistency, and agreement with basic authorization. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant (OA)/PD06717 A and PD7008 A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/25/2023. 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. For a GS-07 you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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: GS-06 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: providing administrative support; collecting, compiling and tracking data and information; processing documents and reports; establishing, updating and maintaining office files and records; performing automation duties using such software applications such as word processing, spreadsheet, electronic mail, desktop publishing, calendar, database and/or graphics; and providing information and customer service. GS-07 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: providing administrative support functions within a healthcare facility; experienced with procurement processes necessary to obtain goods and services for an office; performing automation duties using such software applications such as word processing, spreadsheet, electronic mail, desktop publishing, calendar, database and/or graphics; assisting in the formulation and execution of budget estimates to include updating budget spreadsheets which are used in briefings; collecting, compiling and tracking data and information; and researching reference materials, regulations, and standards to identify appropriate action necessary to correct problems or issues. .You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: ClericalCustomer Service (Clerical/Technical)Organizational AwarenessStandards 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: This is primarily a sedentary position, but the work requires some walking, bending, stooping and carrying of light objects such as manuals, documents, etc. Concentration and sustained performance under prolonged stress is required because of the time factors involved in completion of work assignments within deadlines. 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.

Contacts

• Address Palo Alto VA Medical Center 3801 Miranda Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94304 US
• Name: Eugene Jacobs
• Email: [email protected]