Health Benefits Assistant Job in Fresno, CA

Vacancy No. CBSW-12776514-25-DC Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $36,230.00 to $58,739.00 Grade 4 to 6
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 8/8/2025 Close Date 8/18/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Fresno, CA


Summary

The position is assigned to the Health Administration Service of the VA Central California Health Care System and performs a broad range of administrative duties to support Veteran Benefits and registration and intake activities within the Medical Center. This includes supporting the business unit that administers health and related benefits within an integrated system of VA health care resources and health care access points.

Duties

Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf
Health Benefits Assistant: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-MSA-VA-Career-Flyer.pdf

As HBA for Health Administration Service (HAS) at the VA Central California Healthcare
System (VACCHCS), the incumbent(s) provides an elevated level of administrative and data
support the facility to include the Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs).

The primary function of this position is to make eligibility determinations for VA healthcare which
requires an extensive knowledge of VA laws, directives, policies and procedures. The incumbent
is responsible for running various reports including Unverified Status of Applications, Incomplete
Encounter Management Errors, and correcting errors/updating information to finalize the
registration.

The incumbent(s) are responsible to ensure accurate, timely and consistent information is entered
into the appropriate database. Incumbent (s) assist in establishing in-depth training and work with
the Medical Administration Specialist(s) (MSA) Trainer to ensure BAS and other identified
VACCHCS staff are trained on all eligibility related information.

Incumbent is responsible for verifying eligibility/entitlement for healthcare benefits for all
applicants using various methods including income assessments, military discharge documents,
computer hospital inquiry (HINQ), Veterans Information Solution (VIS), and other means such
as communications with VA Regional Office or VA Records Processing Centers. The process of
verifying eligibility is complicated; criteria differ for each type of benefits applied for and is
based on factors associated with a Veteran's military service.

The incumbent must take the information provided by the Veteran and assess what services the
Veteran is eligible for, and advise the Veteran whether he/she is eligible or not. If a Veteran is
not eligible, the Incumbent advises the Veteran of options that may be available to become
eligible such as filing for service connection, filing for a hardship, etc., The incumbent advises
Veterans about co-payments for medical care and prescriptions, eligibility for beneficiary travel,
and eligibility for dental services.

Incumbent will serve as advisor and expert to the BAS Enrollment/Beneficiary Travel Supervisor
and support the management information components of all health eligibility related programs.
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 affects whether the facility receives workload
credit. The incumbent(s) must review the Incomplete Encounter Management Module (IEMM)
report to clean up any discrepancies in administrative data that would prevent the transmission of
encounters.

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

Incumbent(s) will be involved in an extremely complex blend of computing technology, medical
information, communications skills and leadership qualities in a rapidly changing environment.
The Veterans Health Information & Technology Architecture (VistA) is one of the largest of its
kind and breaks many barriers in the areas of public domain software, language standardization,
and decentralization of ADP within the VA. He/she must possess vast computer knowledge in
creating and capturing data.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
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 #: 00260A, 00261A, 00262A
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.
  • Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period.
  • Subject to background/security investigation.
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/15/2025.

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. For a GS-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04. For a GS-06 position 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.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
General Experience:
GS-04, You must have one year of general experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-03 or equivalent 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 pertinent laws, federal regulations, polices guidelines, VHA directives, handbooks, and procedures relating to Veteran's benefits to ensure that all Veterans, patients, potential beneficiaries, staff, and other stakeholders are accurately informed and efficiently enrolled.
  • Comprehensive knowledge of VA Central California Health Care System memorandums, administrative procedures and processes, standard operating procedures, internal policies, and other guidance related to such areas as eligibility for VA medical benefits, non-VA care eligibility, outpatient programs, patient scheduling, admissions and discharges, patient transfers, VA healthcare network capabilities for patient referrals and transfers, employee health, beneficiary travel, inpatient and outpatient statistical reporting, and others related Medical Center organization and administration.;
  • Knowledge of the Privacy Act, the Freedom of Information Act, HIPPA guidelines, and other authorities with respect to release of information and established guidelines to preserve the confidentiality of record contents.;
  • Extensive knowledge of the organizational and interdepartmental relationships of an active Medical Center to effectively relay the medical benefits package to all inquiring parties.;
  • Comprehensive knowledge and the ability to use several computer systems, (e.g., VistA; HEC Enrollment System Expansion, CPRS, VIS, VBMS, SHARE, etc.), and the requisite knowledge for using multiple menu options within those systems. Including knowledge of the varied functions of computer spreadsheets, database computer applications, etc. to produce and maintain a wide variety of documents.;
  • Ability to participate in studies which may require, statistical measurement, data analysis, and report preparation using databases and dashboards. Prepares reports as required and makes reasonable recommendations for system or process improvement.
OR,

Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have have two years of education beyond the high school level.
OR,

Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of general experience and education beyond the high school level in excess of 30 semester credits.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  • Communication
  • Computer Skills
  • Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
  • Manages and Organizes Information
GS-05, 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.

OR,

Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have have four years of education beyond the high school level.

OR,

Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of general experience and education beyond the high school level in excess of 60 semester credits.

GS-06, You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

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: The work of the Incumbent is primarily sedentary, involving sitting for extended periods while working on a computer or performing administrative tasks. Occasionally, light physical effort may be required, such as walking short distances, climbing stairs, and carrying light office items like files, documents, or office supplies. This position does not typically involve strenuous physical activity.

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

IMPORTANT: 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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:
1. Current permanent VA employees of the facility.
2. All other VA employees.
3. Current permanent Federal employees of other agencies
4. All other applicants.

Note: Veterans' Preference is not applicable to VA employees or employees of other Federal agencies.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

  • Resume


The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

  • Cover Letter
  • DD-214/ Statement of Service
  • Disability Letter (Schedule A)
  • Disability Letter (VA)
  • License
  • Other (1)
  • PCS Orders
  • Professional Certification
  • Resume
  • Separation Notice (RIF)
  • SF-15
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  • Transcript

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 08/18/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12776514.

  1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
  2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Agency contact information

Diana Contreras
Address
Fresno VA Medical Center
2615 East Clinton Avenue
Fresno, CA 93703
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.