Program Support Assistant

Job Description

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/04/2026. 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. For a GS 05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS 04, for the GS 06 you must have served 52 weeks at the GS 05 . The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. 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: For the GS-05 position: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: 1) Thorough knowledge of Medical Center regulations and Public Laws regarding eligibility for inpatient services, outpatient care, dental care, travel reimbursement, and indigent services to advice and aid persons who apply for service or inquiries about eligibility for various programs. 2) Knowledge of various resources which aid in establishing legal entitlements, i.e., county, state, and federal records and fingerprinting. 3) Knowledge of manual instruction and hospital policy regarding patients who are found to be barred to VA benefits. 4) Thorough knowledge of routine admission screening process in order to expedite applications and assure no delays are created and no misunderstandings between ward staff and Medical Administration staff are created that could be avoided. 5) Through knowledge of computer operations and computer security. 6) Working knowledge of counseling principles is needed in as much as complaints involved not only with medical care but also financial and emotional problems. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed four years of education above high school. The education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university. TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year). TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED. For the GS-06 position:Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grades GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: 1) Thorough knowledge of Medical Center regulations and Public Laws regarding eligibility for inpatient services, outpatient care, dental care, travel reimbursement, and indigent services to advice and aid persons who apply for service or inquiries about eligibility for various programs. 2) Knowledge of various resources which aid in establishing legal entitlements, i.e. county, state, and federal records and fingerprinting. 3) Knowledge of manual instruction and hospital policy regarding patients who are found to be barred to VA benefits. 4) Thorough knowledge of routine admission screening process in order to expedite applications and assure no delays are created and no misunderstandings between ward staff and Medical Administration staff are created that could be avoided. 5) Through knowledge of computer operations and computer security. 6) Working knowledge of counseling principles is needed in as much as complaints involved not only with medical care but also financial and emotional problems. Preferred Experience: A thorough and comprehensive 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 HAS Prog