Medical Support Assistant (All Specialties)

Clarification from the agency

The IHS is required by law to give absolute preference to qualified applicants who meet the Secretary of the Interior's definition of Indian for appointment to vacancies within the IHS in accordance with established IHS policy as outlined in the Indian Health Manual Part 7, Chapter 3.

Purchased/Referred Care (PRC): Assists with processing referrals for medical services provided outside the facility; receives, logs, and tracks referral requests; reviews referral forms for completeness; enters and updates referral and patient data in Resource Patient Management System (RPMS), Electronic Health Record (EHR), or other systems; communicates with clinical staff, patients, and external providers to obtain or relay routine information; maintains files and logs to track referral status.

Business Office: Performs support duties related to billing and revenue cycle operations; assists with preparing and processing claims for third-party payers; reviews billing documents for accuracy; enters billing and payment data into RPMS Third Party Billing or other systems; responds to routine billing inquiries; maintains records related to claims, payments, and accounts receivable.

Patient Registration: Greets patients and provides information on clinic services; collects and verifies demographic, eligibility, and insurance information; registers patients and updates records using RPMS or other systems; assists with forms; schedules appointments and directs patients; ensures confidentiality of patient information.

Office Automation: Performs clerical and administrative support; uses office software (e.g., Word, Excel, Outlook) to prepare documents and reports; enters and maintains data in systems or logs; maintains files and records; assists with scheduling, calendars, and coordination of administrative activities; compiles information for routine reports or tracking.

Patient Care (Administrative Support): Provides administrative support to clinical staff; assists with scheduling appointments, referrals, and follow-ups; prepares and maintains patient documentation; communicates routine information to patients; supports patient flow and coordination; ensures compliance with privacy and confidentiality procedures.

The duties described are representative and may be adjusted based on organizational needs.

Conditions of employment

Selectee may be subject to a probationary period
ESEP appointees typically serve a two year trial period
U.S. Citizenship is required
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959

This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.

On-call hours or standby duty may be required.

Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.

You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you.

Background Investigation Requirement:

This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment.

A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service.

Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance. Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process.

Financial Suitability Requirement:

This position requires a review of the applicant's financial history as part of the personnel security and suitability determination. Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility, maintain good standing with creditors, and satisfy all legal financial obligations prior to applying.

Individuals with substantial delinquent or unresolved financial obligations-including, but not limited to, delinquent federal or state tax liabilities, defaulted federal student loans, court-ordered fines or fees, or child support arrears-may be deemed unsuitable for employment with the Indian Health Service (IHS).

Prior to the appointment, candidates must present two valid forms of identification. If one of the documents is a state-issued ID or driver's license, it must be REAL ID-compliant.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.

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; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
GS-3: 6 months of general experience and/or 1 year above high school.

GS-4: 1 year of general experience and/or 2 years above high school.

OR

Combining Education and Experience: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total experience requirements at grades GS-5 and below

Time In Grade
Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP).

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your application will expire in 3 months and you will need to reapply to keep your application active.

This is an Open Continuous Announcement and applications will be referred when vacancies occur. There MAY NOT be immediate vacancies at all locations. You will be limited to selecting no more than 5 locations during the application process, and will only be considered for the locations you select. This Announcement is intended as a mechanism of providing consideration for the greatest number of potential candidates. Candidates with a complete application will be considered for all vacancies that occur for a 3-month period or the closing date of this announcement, whichever comes first. You will be considered for those vacancies that match your desired geographic locations, skills and or job preferences. Positions may be filled at ANY of the grade levels indicated in this announcement, with or without promotion potential as vacancies occur. Applicants should specify the lowest grade (GS-level) that they will accept.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Administrative Support
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Interpersonal Skills
• Technology Application

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Once the application process is complete, the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications.

Click here to view vacancy questions: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12971824.

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Required as applicable for the purposes of specific eligibility and appointment claim(s), and position requirements:

• Indian Preference Applicants: If claiming Indian preference, applicants must provide a completed copy of the Form BIA-4432, "Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA and IHS Only." Indian preference will not be given unless a properly signed and dated form is submitted with your application, including any verification by an authorized Tribal Representative or BIA Official of tribal enrollment records. For detailed instructions, see form BIA-4432. Refer to BIA-4432 link: https://www.bia.gov/sites/default/files/media_document/1076-0160_indian-pref_expires-04.30.25_508.pdf. When an Indian Preference candidate possesses Veterans preference the rules regarding Veterans preference apply under ESEP and the applicant must provide documentation in order to receive preference.
• Veterans Preference: If claiming Veteran's Preference provide a copy of your DD214 Form (Member 4 copy). To claim 10-Point Veterans Preference, submit a SF-15 Application (http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf) along with the appropriate supporting documentation. For additional information regarding Veterans Preference visit: http://www.fedshirevets.gov.
• Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP, follow the instructions below: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ctap_guideline.pdf.
• Current or former Federal employee: Include your most recent SF-50 or if Reinstatement eligible include your Career SF-50.
• Noncompetitive eligibles: Submit additional documents to prove your eligibility to apply to this vacancy.
• Transcripts: You are encouraged to submit copies of transcripts (official or unofficial) although not required at the time of application. You must list your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Official transcripts will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer.

You must meet the requirements of the job by 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date:

The first Cut-off date for receipt/referral of applications to be considered for available vacant positions will be 5 business days after the announcement open date. Subsequently, applications will be referred as vacancies occur which can be at any time.

Next steps

Additional locations