Medical Support Assistant

Medical Support Assistant

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Bonham, Texas, Duncanville, Texas, Fort Worth, Texas, Garland, Texas

Salary Range: $49424 - $67779 Per Year

Job Summary: The position is located at the VA North Texas Health Care System (VANTHCS). Call Center for the Community Care Service (CCS). The Medical Support Assistant role is an integral part of the Community Care Call Center. It is a complex role that requires performing a variety of administrative and clerical duties associated with determining CC eligibility, CC Scheduling, reviewing CC authorizations, troubleshooting billing issues, and resolving Veteran concerns about CC.

Major Duties:

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Medical Support Assistant: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-MSA-VA-Career-Flyer.pdf Duties include, but are not limited to: Serves as the coordinator of incoming outpatient telephone calls. Receives, relays and/or answers incoming telephone and electronic messages. Answers questions such as those dealing with the patient's eligibility for services, availability of appointments, procedures for obtaining an appointment, requests for appointments and/or appointment changes. Schedules Community Care consults, cancels, reschedules follow-up and/or consult appointments. Utilizes computer technology to ensure continuity of care through accurate patient information, communication and documentation and accessing electronic medical records, reviewing, and verifying provider's orders for patient treatment, entry of doctor's orders, consult requests and reviewing updated alerts from providers. Serves as a trusted resource for patients who are receiving CC services. Provides accurate information related to specific CC providers (location, office contact, etc.), the CC process, as well as basic payment and authorization information, etc. Determines the nature of the call and assists with communicating needs regarding appointments, medication refills/renewals, etc. and/or refers the call to the appropriate clinical or administrative personnel. Resolves or refers for resolution non-urgent outpatient care needs to designated Call Center Nurses and resolves simple, informal complaints of caller. Updates patient information as needed. Incumbent must be proficient with typing skills, speed, accuracy, and grammar due to the significant amount of documentation. Incumbent will try to resolve patient needs to the best of their ability and/or notify Supervisor/Manager of the call center. Establishes effective relationships with VA providers and their staff to ensure efficient communication and problem resolution related to CC requests and issues. Provides information/education related to the CC Coordination program to new providers, to assist in submission of requests. Schedules CC appointments using HSRM System. Complies with mandatory training requirements for outpatient scheduling process for CC consults. Follows established processes related to release and confidentiality of patient information. Collaborates with vendors to resolve issues related to these areas. Ensures accurate accounting of released records in accordance with Privacy regulations and requirements. Identifies issues for process improvement and actively participates in service or center-level process improvement activities/teams Utilizes various computer equipment (scanners, double screens), software packages and systems (Cisco Jabber Finesse, CTM, RightFax, HSRM, DST, CTB, PPMS, Ref Doc, TriWest portal, VistA, Microsoft Office, CPRS) and troubleshoots minor problems. Assists peers in troubleshooting problems or issues with software or systems used on a daily basis. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30 am-4:00 pm. or 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. 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 Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 50510-F 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. Experience and Education. 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 Education. One year above high school (Transcripts Required); OR Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable (Transcripts Required). English Language Proficiency: MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.j. Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. 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: 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. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) Assignment. This is the full performance level for MSAs. At this level, the MSA independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes. The MSA is responsible for answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit], scheduling appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults; entering no-show information; monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources; participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or clinic staff to determine the daily needs of the clinic, monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when [patients check-in for appointments. Coordinates administrative functions relating to] emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals [and determines appointment type based on the patient's] eligibility status (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, collaterals, research patient, VA employee, etc.). Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: i. 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. ii. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients. iii. Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting. iv. Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work. v. Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external customers. vi. Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution. Preferred Experience: Previous experience scheduling: Appointments, Cancellations. Previous experience providing customer service and resolving informal complaints. Previous experience working in a team environment. Previous experience working independently. 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-05. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.

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 11/18/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12832363. 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: 2025-11-18