Medical Support Assistant

Medical Support Assistant

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Alexandria, Louisiana

Salary Range: $36213 - $56430 Per Year

Job Summary: This position is located in Medical Administration Service, Alexandria VA Health Care System (AVAHCS). This position provides support to the Ambulatory/Intake section of Medical Administration.

Major Duties:

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Medical Support Assistant for Beneficiary Travel (BT). The candidate performs duties related to processing BT and ambulance claims. The incumbent will interface and be proficient with utilization of personal computer (PC) applications as well as numerous VISTA applications such as the Beneficiary Travel Self Service System (BTSSS) for BT payments as well as E-cams (ambulance payments). The incumbent in this position will be required to have an overall knowledge of the organization, its mission, goals and impact on patients, personnel, community, and the nation. Duties include but are not limited to: Writes or selects appropriate letters explaining disposition of denied travel claims. Responsible for explaining the regulatory guidelines to beneficiaries submitting any unauthorized ambulance claims to the VAMC/HCS for consideration of payment Communicates and interacts with patients in a manner which is appropriate to cognitive, emotional, and chronological maturation needs of the adult and/or geriatric patient Establishes beneficiary travel eligibility to which a patient has entitlement, by obtaining pertinent information from the Veteran Receives invoices for payment of transportation services investigates authorizations, orders, and/or utilizes the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) to review medical records; forwards meals and lodging requests to supervisory for prior approval and submits all documents for payment. Responsible for forwarding all invoices certified for payment to Fiscal Service for processing. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 7:30am - 4:00pm or 8:00am - 4:30pm; subject to change based on the needs of the facility Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases 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) 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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 502-00150F / 502-00148F / 502-00155F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications: 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. Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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. 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: (KSAs must be clearly reflected in resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position/grade level). Medical Support Assistant, GS-3: Education or Experience: None beyond the basic requirements Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 1. Ability to meet, communicate, and interact with individuals in a courteous and helpful manner in order to give instructions and arrange appointments. 2. Ability to utilize computer systems to enter administrative data in patient systems. 3. Ability to learn and utilize basic medical terminology to record patient messages and physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care. Medical Support Assistant, GS4: Experience: One year of experience in 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, Education: Two years of education above high school. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 1. Ability to meet, communicate, and interact with individuals from varying backgrounds and other health care team members in a courteous and helpful manner in order to facilitate medical care for patients. 2. Ability to use, and navigate between, various types of office automation equipment and software (i.e. computer systems, web based scheduling programs; insurance collection system; scanning software, multiple line phone systems; electronic faxing programs) to support patient care. 3. Knowledge of basic medical terminology to assist in the provision of care to patients. 4. Skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care in internal or external clinics. Medical Support Assistant, GS-5: Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-4 grade level; OR Education. Four years of education above high school Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 1. Ability to operate computerized programs and systems in order to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information (PII) into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports. 2. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients. 3. Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting. 4. Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work. 5. Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external customers. 6. Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution 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-5. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-5. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with the work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation. see Duties section for essential job duties of the 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 require 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 in sometimes stressful situations. For positions requiring examinations, information is gleaned from the OF 178, as submitted with the recruitment packet.

How to Apply: All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 11/13/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12828170. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Application Deadline: 2025-11-13