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Summary This position is located within the Business Office, Eligibility and Enrollment Section, under the direct supervision of the Medical Eligibility Enrollment, and Benefits Supervisor. The Program Support Assistant(PSA) continuously embraces and supports the Mountain Home VA Medical Center (James H. Quillen VAMC) mission, vision, and core values. The PSA is expected to present to work in a professional manner and timely in accordance with established tour of duty. Responsibilities The purpose of the position is to serve as a Program Support Assistant (PSA), also known as Certified Health Benefits Advisor, to the Business Office. The Program Support Assistant is responsible for a wide range of assignments and provides administrative support to the Section, and the cost recovery aspects of this position have a direct impact on the reimbursement of the facility. Major duties include but not limited to: Serves as the Veteran's initial administrative contact as related to the enrollment and eligibility determination of Veterans, such as advising applicants of the health benefits to which they are legally entitled; responding to technical questions regarding Veteran's administrative rights and situational eligibility for healthcare; and providing Veterans with administrative advice and guidance. Responsible for performing work to support the Enrollment Coordinator/Supervisor to include all administrative processes, health benefits eligibility determinations, and all aspects of the health benefits packages. Performs technical activities involved with screening, processing, and assisting Veterans, non-Veterans, and beneficiaries seeking various benefits. Provides information regarding benefits to Veterans and responds to complex questions involving regulations and/or beneficiary entitlement; communicates eligibility determinations to Veterans, families, agency employees, and Veteran's organizations. Responsible for understanding and applying an extensive body of laws and regulations relative to Veterans eligibility for VA healthcare benefits, Veteran travel benefits, assisting families by explaining Veteran's death, burial benefits. Ability to apply knowledge of the priorities, commitments and goals for Business Office Health Eligibility and Enrollment Section, as it relates to Veterans health benefits and the Medical Center's operating principles to meet this facility's needs as they relate to local and national annual goals. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 7:30am-4:00pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant/PD60555A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/23/2025. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Candidates may be advanced without time restriction to positions up to GS-5 if the position to be filled is no more than two grades above the lowest grade the employee held within the preceding 52 weeks under his or her latest nontemporary competitive appointment. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Knowledge of a body of standardized rules, procedures, or operations that require considerable training and experience to perform the full range of standard clerical assignments and resolve recurring problems. Knowledge of pertinent laws, federal regulations, polices guidelines, VHA directive and procedures that require extensive training. An in-depth knowledge and experience in the field of patient administration (both inpatient and outpatient), including medical records and related fields of medical administration, especially related to any Business Office Program. Knowledge of varied functions of computer spreadsheets, database computer applications, etc. to produce and maintain a wide variety of documents. Knowledge of statistical (mathematical) analytical principles and computer literacy of the degree that program systems are developed, and data entry and reports retrieval can be made. Knowledge of the organizational and interdepartmental relationship of an active acute Medical Center. Knowledge of VISTA and Veteran Enrollment System (VES) with a well-established knowledge of the registration process, entering a means test and updating demographics. Must have a thorough working knowledge of other computer systems necessary to manage, control, secure, coordinate and implement computer activities. Knowledge of standard and business English usage and proper formatting of formal correspondence in response to inquiries, reports, audits, etc. lncumbent(s) must have managerial skills with a high degree of aptitude in oral presentation, written communications as well as a sound mathematical base to perform assignments. Knowledge of laws and regulations regarding Combat Veterans and their special eligibility for VA healthcare benefits. Ability to plan effectively, have sound fundamental knowledge or organizational theory and practice, and have a high degree of skill in oral and written communications. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed 4 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. (Transcripts Required) OR, Combination: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total experience requirements at grades GS-5. To compute, first determine the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determine the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. (Transcripts Required) You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Computer Skills Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Data Systems Writing Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: This is primarily a sedentary position, but the work requires some walking, bending, stooping, and carrying of light objects such as manuals, documents, etc. Concentration and sustained performance under prolonged stress is required because of the time factors involved in completion of work assignments within deadlines. 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 A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.