Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Full Job Description

This position serves as an Enrollment and Eligibility Specialist for the Patient Administration Section (PAS).

The MSA determines eligibility for VA healthcare benefits which requires an extensive knowledge of VA laws, directives, policies, and procedures.

MSAs provide record keeping and administrative support for the following areas: Eligibility & Enrollment, Emergency Department, Environmental Health Registries, Centralized Check-in, Appointment Scheduling and Beneficiary Travel Section.

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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.

Education: High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.

Certification: None required. 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. 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.

Grade Determinations: Advanced Medical Support Assistant GS-6 Grade Level: Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.

Experience is defined as experience that includes, but is not limited to: scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient's appointments and/or consults; entering no-show information; monitoring the electronic wait list; preparing for clinic visits; monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments for areas of responsibility; ensuring encounter forms are completed in order to obtain appropriate workload credit; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information; processing all emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals; performing basic eligibility, co-pays and pre-authorization requirements for specific coverage (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, etc.).

Assignment. The Advanced MSA [provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working] collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model [ ].

[Work involves specialized administrative judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or care in the community resources.

Recommends changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines.

Expertise in utilizing numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.

Coordinates] with the patient care team to review clinic [appointment availability] (utilization) [ ] to ensure that clinic [schedules are] closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics, and [makes adjustments as necessary].

[MSAs at this level] develop [and/or] maintain effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary [coordinated care delivery model teams] , VA medical centers, and other agencies (e.g., assist with communications during the inpatient to outpatient discharge; communicate with non-VA medical facilities; [prepare correspondence] to notify patients of normal lab results; [ ] manage a [ ] system for follow-up care such as consults, tests, etc.).

Other assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: [processes incoming patient secure messaging through MyHealthyVet and coordinates with care team as appropriate; participates in] team huddles and team meetings to manage, plan, [problem solve, and follow-up with] patient [care by sharing information and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team]; setting priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs; [identifies incomplete encounters and communicates findings to providers; as needed; assists] the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions; [enters] appropriate information into the electronic record; monitors pre-appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure; [manages patient systems] to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues; evaluates patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether [the patient requires an immediate appointment; informs team members] about shared patients ([i.e]., those who receive their care at multiple [VA centers] or those who [receive] care in the community) [ ].

For all [assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time].

Candidates must also be able to demonstrate all the following Knowledge, skills, and abilities for the GS-0679-6 level to qualify for this position: 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.

Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.

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.

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.

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.

Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is a GS-06.

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-06. Physical Requirements: VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Work is partially sedentary, with frequent walking, standing, bending. carrying of light items such as papers and books, or small parts. Some slight physical effort may be required.

Incumbent may be susceptible to eyestrain from working long hours on the computer. Major Duties:

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties: MSAs will serve as experts and support the management information components of all health eligibility programs.

The MSA will be assigned work and/or receive training with the objective of acquiring the qualifications needed to successfully facilitate all administrative aspects of the enrollment process, health eligibility determinations and related aspects of health benefits administration as well as successfully performing a wide range of administrative functions in support of both administrative and clinical service lines.

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 also will affect the data entry for encounter entries that go to Austin for workload credit.

The MSA must review the Incomplete Encounter Management Module (IEMM) report in order to clean up any discrepancies in administrative data that would prevent the transmission of encounters.

Reviews, verified, and analyzes data submitted for consistency with financial and program objectives in adherence to VA directives.

MSAs must enter all information into the data base for determination of the eligibility status for Healthcare: Patient Demographic Data Patient Data ]Emergency Contact Data Employment Data Insurance Data Military Service Data Eligibility Status Data Family Demographic Data & Income Screen Data Ineligible/Missing Data Eligibility Verification Data MSAs will also assure that all new veterans to the system are registered within 5 business days of receipt of their application.

All new eligible applicants will be offered an opportunity to schedule a new patient appointment with the appropriate clinic in adherence to local and national guidelines and policies.

MSAs are expected to provide exceptional customer service by exceeding the customer's expectations.

The MSA will actively listen to customers with respect and empathy; will pay attention to the details of the customer's needs and help the customer arrive at a satisfactory solution to the problem.

The MSA will be flexible, adaptive, and enthusiastic to exceed the customer's needs. Facilitate the process of issuing enrolled Veterans a Veteran Health Identification Card.

Determine veterans' eligibility for beneficiary travel reimbursement from their residence on record to the closest VA facility that offers the service by privately owned vehicles or common carrier & processes eligible travel claims.

Denies travel reimbursement to ineligible applicants, providing a brief explanation for the denial and provides rights to appeal.

MSAs will be required to perform their primary role and related aspects of health benefits administration in direct support of Emergency Department operations such as enrollment & eligibility, registration, pre-registrations, decedent affairs, admissions & inpatient movements and all aspects of scheduling (including the checking in of scheduled and unscheduled appointments).

MSAs will coordinate facility transfers both internal and external.

MSAs must be able to interpret and communicate requirements of VHA scheduling directives and complete accurate scheduling responsibilities and assist in training other MSAs as follows: Schedule appointments in a timely manner.

All appointments will be made with the patients input.

Notifies his/her supervisor when clinic access is less than desirable or if an individual patient cannot be scheduled within mandated clinic timeframes.

Other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm 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 #:23149-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized