Health Benefits Assistant

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

United States Department of Veterans Affairs’ New Mexico VA Health Care System (NMVAMC) seeks a Health Benefits Assistant within Health Administration Service. The role supports HAS and CBOCs with administrative tasks, data entry, and customer interactions, ensuring timely and accurate processing for veterans.

This civilian position offers federal benefits and advancement opportunities. Eligibility criteria emphasize public service professionalism and capacity to work across NMVAMC facilities.

Qualifications

• Specialized Experience: one year at least GS-04 level in patient administration, medical records, data entry, and office support.
• Education: four years of education above high school in accredited institution as described.
• Combination: may combine education and experience beyond high school level.

Skills

Patient administration

Administrative support

Data entry

Oral and written communication

Computer skills

Customer service

Education

Four years of education beyond high school

Tools

Office software

Job description

As Health Benefits Assistant for Health Administration Service at the New Mexico VAMC (NMVAMC), the incumbents provide a high level of administrative and data support to the HAS to include the Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCS) as well as to the NMVAMC. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/18/2026.

Advancement to positions up to GS-05: Candidates may be advanced without time restriction to positions up to GS-05 if the position to be filled is no more than two grades above the lowest grade the employee held within the preceding 52 weeks under his or her latest non-temporary competitive appointment. For this GS-05 position, if you have held a GS position in the preceding 52 weeks, it must have been a GS-03 or higher to be eligible.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• Specialized Experience: 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. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: knowledge and experience in the field of patient administration, including medical records and related fields of medical administration; providing administrative support: filing, answering phones, greeting customers, miscellaneous office work; performing data entry; oral and written communication; and working knowledge of computer systems and software; providing positive, upbeat, customer service while interacting with patients and hospital staff. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have four years of education above High School. 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 school. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond high school level.

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/.