This Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) position is in the Health Administration Service (HAS), Eligibility and Enrollment Section, under the direct supervision of the Health Eligibility, Enrollment, and Benefits Supervisor. Position is physically located at the Fort Smith Community Based Outpatient Clinic.
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 Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. Certification. None required. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency. Medical Support Assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Policy. 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: GS 6: Possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level with experience including entering, modifying, retrieving sensitive information into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports; scheduling medical appointments in a clinical setting; performing patient support work; providing customer service and identifying patient concerns to ensure satisfactory resolution, and have an advanced level medical terminology AND demonstrate all of the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) listed below. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 1) 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. 2 )Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations. 3) 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. 4) 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. 5) 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. 6) Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians. Preferred Experience: none Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for this occupation, see duty section for essential duties of this position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted heated and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once and sometimes stressful situations.
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-MSA-VA-Career-Flyer.pdf Duties include but not limited to: Incumbent(s) will serve as expert benefit advisor to HAS Leadership 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 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 to clean up any discrepancies in administrative data that would prevent the transmission of encounters. As an Advanced MSA Health Benefits Advisor, the incumbent is responsible for applying an extensive body of rules and regulations relative to Veteran's eligibility for VA healthcare benefits, assisting families with a Veteran's death, burial, and explanation of death benefits. Applications may be received in person, by telephone, by mail, on-line, or referral from another VA. Incumbent is responsible for entering demographic, insurance, and income information into the Vista system. This information serves as a base for determining entitlement to medical care as well as bill preparation and collections on all billable episodes of inpatient and outpatient care. Accurate and complete data collection is essential to proper processing of third-party collection requirements as mandated by law. As an Advanced MSA Health Benefits Advisor, the incumbent must be able to work under considerable pressure and plan workload without halting or interrupting the operation as a whole by showing initiative in completing priority tasks; also have the ability to work rapidly with a high degree of accuracy, be dependable and use good judgement, along while effectively and properly analyzing and evaluating all situations to ensure that the veterans and family's welfare is protected at all times. Incumbent(s) will be involved in an extremely complex blend of computing technology, medical information, communication skills and leadership qualities in a rapidly changing environment. The Veterans Health Information & Technology Architecture (VISTA) is one of the largest of its kind and breaks many barriers in the areas of public domain software, language standardization, and decentralization of ADP within the VA. Ability to apply knowledge of the priorities, commitments, and goals for HAS Health Eligibility and Enrollment Section, as it relates to Veteran's health benefits and the Medical Center's operating principles to meet this facility's needs as they relate to annual goals Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. May vary based on needs of the service. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): not authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of 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) Telework: Ad Hoc Only. Telework may be authorized during specific situations like adverse weather conditions per Agency Policy and at the Services discretion. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00116F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): not authorized