This position is located in a Consolidated Patient Account Center (CPAC), organizationally aligned under the Chief Finance Officer in the Veteran Services Department, with the position serving as a Program Support Assistant (PSA). The CPAC is a regionally consolidated business entity established to enhance revenue operations throughout the VHA network.

Duties

The Veteran Services Program Support Assistant (PSA) serves as the primary CPAC contact for the Veteran, Veteran representative, or advocate regarding all aspects of VA1st party copayment debt within the VA system. The PSA explains VA financial programs, VA regulatory requirements, and available debt management options. This process includes conducting interviews to ascertain current financial concerns and limitations and identifying issues and barriers of understanding in navigating VA financial policy. The PSA gathers relevant documents and data from multiple VHA and VBA systems (when necessary) and completes adjustments to Veteran copayment accounts as needed to resolve Veteran requests for debt relief and assistance. The PSA provides assistance and guidance to Veteran customers with the following internal and external agencies: VA Debt Management Center (DMC), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury Offset Program (TOP), the Treasury Cross Servicing Program (CS), Congressional and White House communication teams, and multiple Veteran Services Organizations (VSO). The PSA performs account reconciliation of first party bills needing remedy action such as 1st party copayment refunds for retroactive exemptions as well as credit balance refunds (pre-payments), 1st party bill balance adjustments due to receipt of corresponding 3rd party payments (claims-matching)audit reviews and bill reconciliation actions related to retroactive copayment exemption decisions from VBA (DMC validity and rated eligibility), and the detailed auditing and reporting of Veteran patient copayment accounts requests received from Veteran, stakeholder, and/or other external entities. 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 8:00am to 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: May be available, pending organizational need. Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant/PD73256A and PD53003A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/26/2024. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: For GS-05 Specialized Experience: Do you possess at least one full year of specialized experience, which equips you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the Program Support Assistant, GS-05 position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled? To be creditable, this specialized experience must have been equivalent to the GS-04 level in Federal service to qualify at the GS-05. Examples of specialized experience include: 1) Provides timely, accurate and complete responses to customer inquiries using a variety of communication methods, including telephone and written correspondence. 2) Ensures that all pertinent information is gathered and entered into automated systems in a timely and accurate manner. 3) Collects, compiles and/or tracks data for the preparation of statistical, financial and/or administrative reports on an ad hoc or recurring basis. 4) Independently prepares written documents such as correspondence, memoranda, reports, pamphlets and similar documents on a daily basis. 5) Handles conflict and problems in dealing with customers constructively and appropriately. Note: Evidence of specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held on your resume. You must provide work experience information such as hours per week, salary, and starting/ending dates of employment (month and year format) to establish you have one full year of Specialized Experience at or comparable to the required grade level. OR, GS-05 Substitution of Education for Experience (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED): Do you possess four years of education above the high school level in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite? 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, GS-05 Combination of Education and Experience (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED): Do you possess a combination of successfully completed education and experience to meet the total experience requirements (i.e. 6 months of specialized experience and 3 years of education above the high school level)? NOTE: Only education beyond the second year can be used in combination with specialized experience to qualify for this grade. For GS-06 Specialized Experience: Do you possess at least one full year of specialized experience, which equips you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the Program Support Assistant, GS-06 position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled? To be creditable, this specialized experience must have been equivalent to the GS-05 level in Federal service to qualify at the GS-06. Examples of specialized experience include: 1) Provides timely, accurate and complete responses to customer inquiries using a variety of communication methods, including telephone and written correspondence. 2) Ensures that all pertinent information is gathered and entered into automated systems in a timely and accurate manner. 3) Collects, compiles and/or tracks data for the preparation of statistical, financial and/or administrative reports on an ad hoc or recurring basis. 4) Independently prepares written documents such as correspondence, memoranda, reports, pamphlets and similar documents on a daily basis. 5) Handles conflict and problems in dealing with customers constructively and appropriately. 6) Processes and validates first-party refunds. 7) Researches and communicates debt relief options available to the customer. Note: Evidence of specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held on your resume. You must provide work experience information such as hours per week, salary, and starting/ending dates of employment (month and year format) to establish you have one full year of specialized experience at or comparable to the required grade level. There is no educational substitution for the GS-06 level. 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

For GS-05 Level: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

There is no educational substitution for the GS-06 level.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address North Eastern Consolidated Patient Accounts Center 1700 South Lincoln Avenue Lebanon, PA 17042 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]