Transportation Assistant

Summary This position is located in the Veteran Transportation Service (VTS) within the Health Administration Service (HAS) at the VA Medical Center, Tomah WI, a level 3 complexity facility. The incumbent works with the VTS Supervisory Mobility Manager for transportation workload forecasting, scheduling design, procedure development, and quality improvement implementation, modification of processes, evaluation, and ongoing operational flow of the Veteran Transportation Services program. Responsibilities This position is required to have an overall knowledge of the organization, its mission, goals and impact on patients, personnel, community and the nation. The Transportation Assistant will serve as a primary contact for Veterans, doctors, nurses and administrative staff to arrange travel for eligible Veterans to appointments and residence when appropriate, using laws and regulations to distinguish/ensure reimbursements are legitimate or if fraudulent activity is being conducted by the beneficiary. They must must have some knowledge of clinical services, related software and programs as they relate to computing and office automation. Major Duties: Independently manage the Beneficiary Travel Program. Investigates authorizations and orders utilizing Computerized Patient Record System. Gathers documentation and forward completed actions for supervisory approval and certification for payment. Selects or drafts the appropriate letter explaining the disposition of unauthorized travel claims. Explains regulatory guidelines to beneficiaries for submitting unauthorized ambulance claims to the VA for payment consideration. Arranges transportation to include air ambulance, commercial air, taxi, ambulance, bus and/or independent transport. Corresponds with physician, traveler, and vendor to determine the most economical mode of transportation. Prepares documentation and/or scheduling for traveler according to government rates. Makes special arrangements documentation according to traveler's medical condition and/or preference. Reviews requests for reimbursement of travel costs assuring compliance with regulations and procedures. Reconciles vouchers against authorizations. Determines eligibility for travel reimbursement prior to preparing certification for payment. Prepares travel vouchers for eligible veterans who are receiving travel by cash, check, or electronic payment methods. Determines the most economical mode of travel via common carrier, or on a mileage basis for payment. Contacts the contractor for dispatch of appropriate vehicle when an ambulance or wheel chair care is required to transport a patient for admission. Processes requests for inter-hospital transfers by making transportation arrangements either by common carrier, air ambulance, ambulance or med-car as requested by the provider. Utilizes various software programs in processing internal consultations, to review patient data, and process claims for benefits associated with the program. Creates, copies, edits, stores, retrieves and prints a variety of correspondence and documents. Transmits, receives and acknowledges faxes, electronic mail and messages. Receives and answers routine telephone calls, inquiries or refers to staff member. Establishes helpful relationships with patients and others and interacts in a courteous manner. Provides emotional support, friendly assistance, sympathetic understanding and encouragement to patients and families. Effectively communicates with various individuals, patients, visitors and staff both verbally and in writing. All other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday Compressed/Flexible: Not authorized. Telework: Not authorized. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Transportation Assistant/PD23506A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment 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. 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's 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) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/14/2026. 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 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 and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience GS-6: 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 positions which require knowledge of eligibility and entitlement to medical care or services; knowledge of beneficiary travel regulations; knowledge of electronic medical record software and how to search and navigate records to acquire information; skill in the operation of computers, copiers, scanners, fax, calculator, and software programs such as MS Word, Excel and Office or other compatible software; and skill in oral and written communication and interpersonal relations, to appropriately and courteously relate to internal and external customers. Physical Requirements: The work requires no special physical demands, but will require some physical effort such as standing, walking, bending, or sitting. Work Environment: The employee will be working in various clinical settings throughout the medical center. This is to provide expeditious services to Veterans from the location of their clinic appointments or as determined by the supervisor 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 There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Additional Information 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. Receiving Service Credit for 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. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.