You will be serving as a Health Benefits Assistant in the Health Administration Service, Jonathan M. Wainwright, VA Medical Center, Walla Walla.

Duties

Duties Include, but not limited to: Determine entitlement to medical care as well as bill preparation and collections on all billable episodes of inpatient and outpatient care. Advise veterans of their entitlement to various medical benefits and discusses co-payment requirements of veterans in discretionary categories. Greet and receive applicants and determines his or her status in the VA system. Advise the veteran of his or her eligibility status and enrollment Priority Group for VA health care, explaining his or her billing co-payment status, including how his or her private insurance may affect his or her VA billing co-payments. Be the administrative coordinator for all outpatient needs in the area to which assigned, and works closely with Primary Care Teams, specialty care providers, residential rehabilitation program staff, other services and providers. Counsel patients regarding their financial obligations relative to care they will receive using guidelines to determine which category the veteran will be placed. Identify and collate health insurance information from all applicants for entry into databases (such as: VistA), copies insurance company enrollment identification cards, researches employers as needed to obtain complete data when applicants do not have complete information. Travel to areas in the catchment area to assist in outreach programs assisting with counseling veterans, their dependents, and their beneficiaries regarding all benefits available through the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as non-VA benefits available through other agencies. Perform other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Position Description Title/PD#: Health Benefits Assistant/ 8072-A Physical Requirements: The work normally involves mental rather than physical exertion. The work is generally sedentary, but requires some bending, walking, standing, lifting and carrying patient records and various reports to various areas throughout the medical center campus. Reading from CRT for long periods of time and accessing information from various computer systems as necessary. Work Environment: Work is typically performed in an adequately-lighted and climate-controlled office setting with significant time involved on computer. Work is accomplished in a busy environment and the incumbent usually works alone, requiring him/her to perform the duties of the position in the allotted time, sometimes facing short deadlines.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• May serve a probationary period
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
• 5 CFR § 330.502 - General restriction on movement after competitive appointment applies

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. GS-05 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-04 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: gathering and tracking data and statistical information for the review of reports for omissions or inconsistencies, entering information into an automated tracking system, monitoring and controlling correspondence or records, and following-up to ensure observance of deadlines, scheduling or rescheduling appointments, and processing special mode transportation, and responding to phone inquiries. (EXPERIENCE MUST BE DETAILED IN YOUR RESUME TO RECEIVE CREDIT); OR, Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-05 level.(TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). I have completed 4 years above high school . This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school; OR, Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-05 level.(TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-XX. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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.

Education

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.

Contacts

• Address Jonathan M Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center 77 Wainwright Drive Walla Walla, WA 99362 US
• Name: Renee Mills
• Phone: 360-567-4649
• Email: [email protected]