Health Benefits Assistant

Summary

This Health Benefits Assistant position works as part of the Central Business Office (CBO) for the Health Administration Services (HAS) at the Lebanon VA Medical Center and all its Community Clinics.

Duties

• Duties include but are not limited to: Performs a wide range of enrollment, eligibility, benefits, requiring thorough and current knowledge of VA rules, regulations, policies, and procedures. Advises applicants in person and by phone regarding health care benefits, eligibility requirements, and administrative rights; initiates processes to establish care and notifies appropriate staff. Responds to complex technical questions, provides administrative guidance, and offers verbal and written information on non-medical benefits; refers Veterans to VBA Benefits Counselors when appropriate. Researches and resolves complex eligibility and entitlement inquiries; ensures timely, complete, and empathetic customer service. Independently verifies eligibility using systems such as VIS, VES, SHARE, DPRIS, ILER and VBMS; maintains current knowledge through training and self-education. Communicates regularly with the HEC to ensure accurate enrollment and eligibility data; issues detailed explanations when applicants are ineligible. Serves as initial contact for enrollment; inputs 10-10EZ information into VES, processes reenrollments, and connects Veterans with needed programs. Generates, processes, and tracks Veteran Identification Cards; works with national contacts to resolve conflicts.- Completes Means Tests, collects and interprets financial information, explains requirements, and ensures accurate assessment of copay responsibilities. Ensures high-quality data integrity in MPI systems; resolves ICN exceptions, duplicate records, and demographic discrepancies; protects data per regulations. Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills, provides clear instructions and written correspondence, and manages emergency situations when needed. Performs enrollment outreach for underserved veterans through internal projects and external resource events by working with other community partners and veterans organizations. Collaborates with other service lines to educate and identify every available pathway that may connect veterans to the care needed. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm with occasional evenings, weekends and holidays. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Benefits Assistant/PD07159LS Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/04/2026 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: Customer and Patient facing service - Interviews patients applying for medical benefits and entering demographics, insurance, and income information in to Databases by telephone, email or in-person. Possess strong customer service, problem solving skills and attention to detail. Actively listens to customers through demonstrating respect and concern for customer concerns. Monitors enrolled patient database information on a regular basis for updates to health insurance data and income assessments demonstrating computer skills. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have four (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. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of 6 months specialized experience and 3 years of education above the high school level. NOTE: Only education beyond the second year can be used in combination with specialized experience to qualify for this grade. 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/.