Transportation Assistant (OA)

Summary This position is located in the Beneficiary Travel Program, Business Office of the James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York. Employee independently manages the Medical Center's Beneficiary Travel Program. The Beneficiary Travel Program provides transportation at Government expense to beneficiaries and their attendants traveling to and from VA facilities and various locations for the purpose of examination, treatment of care. Responsibilities Duties include, but may not be limited to: 1. Determining method of payment for authorized and unauthorized ambulance claims submitted for consideration. Receives invoices for payment of transportation services. Investigates authorizations, orders, and/or utilizes the computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) to review medical records, forwards for supervisory approval and submits all documents for payment utilizing appropriate control point for reference. Responsible for forwarding all invoices certified for payment to Fiscal Service for processing. Acts as liaison between vendors and Fiscal Service for invoices pending payment. Writes or selects appropriate letters explaining disposition of unauthorized travel claims. Responsible for explaining related regulatory guidelines to beneficiaries for submitting any unauthorized ambulance claims to the VA Medial Center for consideration of payment. Corresponds with contracting officer regarding technical problems or negotiation of contractual agreement. Responsible for balancing, reconciling, and adjusting invoices for payment. 2. Assisting the Supervisor and Chief, Business Office with preparing documents and monthly account synopsis for contracting officials in Acquisition & Materiel Management Service quarterly to justify yearly ambulance contractual compliance. When required prepares reports for cab services to determine annual, local mobility usage. Documents and prepares statistical ambulance reports to supervisor upon request for fiscal year budget. Maintains and controls filing system in accordance with VA regulations. 3. Arranging all models of transportation via air ambulance, commercial air, taxi ambulance, bus and/or independent transports. Corresponds with physician, traveler, and vendor to determine the most dependable and economical mode or transportation. Prepares appropriate documentation and/or scheduling for traveler according to government rates or substantial rates. Makes special arrangements per physician documentation according to traveler's medical condition and/or preference. Secures reservations and tickets from carriers. Forwards correspondence to receiving facility travel department and/or physician via itinerary or stated preferences with destination and time. May keep in touch with traveler enroute to resolve potential problems. Maintains communications with receiving facilities regarding beneficiaries return travel arrangements. Reviews requests for reimbursement of travel costs for the purpose of assuring compliance with regulations and procedures, completeness, accuracy, internal consistency, and agreement with basic authorization. Reconciles vouchers against authorizations for accuracy prior to preparing certifications for payment. 4. Communicating and interacting with patients in a manner which is appropriate to cognitive, emotional, and chronological maturation needs of the adult and/or geriatric patient. 5. The employee has regular and recurring contact with personnel external to the agency for the obtainment of services, sharing of information and authorization, clarification, or denial of payment. Promotion Potential: This position is at the Full Performance Level. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Transportation Assistant (OA)/PD55691A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved 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 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) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/04/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS-5 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-6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. 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 s described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Experience in office automation to include Microsoft Office, Spreadsheets and other electronic equipment to perform data entry when processing reimbursement claims. And extensive knowledge working with several fund control points to utilize, obligating funds, maintaining manual and electronic accounting records, performing regular reconciliations, and adjusting account balances and ability to establish and maintain suspense filing or record system. To include, identifying the significant characteristics of each assignment in order to resolve the many different types of problems encountered and provides the customer with constant information according to established travel policies or procedures or customer complaints or problems involving delays, loss, or damage. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Accounting Operations Administration and Management Communications Planning and Evaluating Problem Solving 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 requires no special physical demands, but will require some physical effort such as standing, walking, bending or sitting. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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.

Created: 2024-10-31