Patient Services Assistant

• Enters demographic insurance and income information into various data systems.
• Verifies eligibility/entitlement for benefits of all applicants.
• Gathers information and updates data files as necessary to ensure accurate and complete Veteran eligibility records.
• Processes applications for benefits received through the mail electronically or in person.
• Interviews patients applying for VHA medical benefits.
• Provides customer service to all applicants.
• Responds to requests or complaints.
• Identifies needs or problems and determines solutions.
• Is open to change and new information coming from the Enrollment Standardization Office & Health Enrollment Center. Adapts behavior and work methods in response to new information changing conditions or unexpected obstacles.
• Corresponds with applicants visitors and other stakeholders in a professional manner.
• Corresponds with Enrollment Standardization Office (ESO) Liaisons to resolve any escalations and shows understanding of needed corrections.
• Works and corresponds with staff from various backgrounds to include VHA staff and other Veteran Organizations with courtesy and respect.
• Maintains patient privacy (PHI/PII).
• Provides feedback to all Veteran applications.
• Communicates and expresses information surrounding health benefits in a clear manner to Veterans within the community setting at outreach events.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory qualification and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am-4:00pm
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Patient Services Assistant/PD09002A PD14683A and PD14684A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
• 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 ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued identification 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)
• 5 CFR 330.502 - General restriction on movement after competitive appointment.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public 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 period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.

To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement 09/25/2026.

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 GS-4 there is no 52 week requirement for GS-5 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-4 level for GS-6 you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5 level. 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 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:

• General Experience (GS-04): Applicants applying for this position at the GS-04 level must possess general experience which includes progressively responsible clerical office or other work that indicates ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position to be filled and a knowledge of a body of standardized rules procedures or operations that require considerable training and the experience to perform the full range of developmental assignments as well as the ability to resolve recurring
• Education: Applicants may also be qualified for this position at the GS-04 level based on their education. To be qualified applicants must have successfully completed 2 years 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
• Combination: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total experience requirements for this position at the GS-04 level. NOTE: All experience must be clearly stated and described on your resume to include dates of employments (month/year) and hours worked. Failure to do so may disqualify you for this position.

• Specialized Experience (GS-05): . To qualify for this position applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade of GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Knowledge of various services available within the medical facility; knowledge of the laws and regulations pertaining to eligibility and entitlement for benefits; knowledge of organizing work and completing priority tasks; skilled in establishing and maintaining effective working relationship with patients relatives and hospital staff; possess good communication skills and exhibits high skills in oral communication techniques with particular emphasis placed on interviewing; must be able to relate and coordinate with individuals of all socioeconomic and educational levels. ....OR
• Education: Applicants may also qualify for this position at the GS-05 level based on their education. Applicants must have successfully completed 4 years above the high school level. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business secretarial or technical school junior college college or
• Combination: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total experience requirements for this position at the GS-05 level.

• Specialized Experience (GS-06): To qualify for this position applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade of GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience for this position includes but is not limited to... Knowledge of the priorities commitments and goals for the Eligibility Unit Medical Administration Service and the Medical Centers operating principles to meet this facilitys needs as they relate to annual collection goals; comprehensive knowledge of various services available at the facility; a thorough knowledge of the laws and regulations pertaining to eligibility and entitlement for benefits; the ability to work under considerable pressure and plan workload without halting or interrupting the operation as a whole by showing initiative in completing priority tasks; the ability to work rapidly with a high degree of accuracy; dependable and able to use good judgment and effectively and properly analyzes and evaluates all situations to ensure that the Veterans welfare is protected; skilled in establishing and maintaining effective working relationship with patients relatives and hospital staff; possesses good communication skills and exhibits high skills in oral communication techniques with particular emphasis placed on interviewing which is a main responsibility of this position; must be able to relate and coordinate with individuals of all socioeconomic and educational levels.

For more information on these qualification standards please visit the United States Office of Personnel Managements website at

Required Experience:

Junior IC