Medical Administrative Assistant

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; East Orange (NJ); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in New Jersey seeks a Medical Administrative Assistant to provide administrative support across the medical center during regular and off-tour hours.

Responsibilities include processing patient admissions, transfers, and discharges, verifying eligibility and insurance, and managing decedent affairs. The role coordinates patient referrals and beneficiary travel, updates VistA and BMS, and generates daily gains and losses reports.

Qualifications

• Specialized Experience: 1 year in a healthcare setting performing admin support.
• Experience verifying demographics, eligibility, and insurance information.
• Experience processing admissions, transfers, discharges, and decedent affairs.

Responsibilities

• Conduct admission, discharge, and transfer procedures per VA directives.
• Verify patient eligibility, demographics, and third-party insurance details.
• Update Bed Management System (BMS) and coordinate bed movements.
• Coordinate referrals, special transportation, and beneficiary travel arrangements.
• Generate and finalize daily Gains & Losses reports detailing patient activity.
• Assist with decedent affairs including next-of-kin notifications and release of remains.
• Provide administrative coverage for ED and inpatient wards as needed.
• Advise staff on regulatory requirements during off-tour hours.
• Serve as point of contact while adhering to Privacy Act and FOIA guidelines.

Skills

Administrative support

Healthcare facility experience

Office workflow

Tools

VistA

Bed Management System (BMS)

Office automation (word processing, spreadsheets, presentation, email)

Job description

Summary

The Medical Administrative Assistant provides administrative support across the medical center during regular and off-tour hours. Key duties include processing patient admissions - transfers - and discharges - verifying eligibility and insurance - and managing decedent affairs. The position coordinates patient referrals and beneficiary travel - updates tracking systems like VistA and BMS - generates daily Gains & Losses reports - and resolves administrative issues.

Summary

The Medical Administrative Assistant provides administrative support across the medical center during regular and off-tour hours. Key duties include processing patient admissions - transfers - and discharges - verifying eligibility and insurance - and managing decedent affairs. The position coordinates patient referrals and beneficiary travel - updates tracking systems like VistA and BMS - generates daily Gains & Losses reports - and resolves administrative issues.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 10/02/2026. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-6) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: providing administrative support within a healthcare facility during regular or off-tour hours; performing eligibility determinations - verifying patient demographic and insurance information - and processing inpatient/outpatient admissions - transfers - and discharges; managing decedent affairs activities - including next-of-kin identification - postmortem authorizations - and the release of patient remains in accordance with federal and state regulations; coordinating patient referrals - special transportation - and beneficiary travel authorizations; updating patient tracking software such as VistA and Bed Management Systems (BMS); compiling and finalizing daily statistical reports such as Gains and Losses (G&L); using office automation software (e.g. - word processing - spreadsheets - presentation graphics - and email) to prepare and maintain administrative records; and handling inquiries or complex administrative issues by communicating policy guidelines and liaising with clinical staff - patients - family members - or external entities. 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/.

Duties

• Major duties include but are not limited to the following: Conducts admission - discharge - and transfer procedures in accordance with VA and medical center directives
• Verifies patient eligibility entitlement criteria - demographic data - and third-party insurance information
• Manages Bed Management System (BMS) updates and executes appropriate bed movements for inpatient units
• Coordinates patient referrals - transfer criteria - and special transportation arrangements (e.g. - ambulances - beneficiary travel)
• Generates - verifies - and finalizes the daily Gains and Losses (G&L) report detailing patient activity - statistical data - and logs
• Implements decedent affairs activities - including next-of-kin identification - family notifications - autopsy authorizations - release of remains - and safeguarding patient valuables/effects
• Provides administrative coverage for the Emergency Department and inpatient wards
• Advises clinical and administrative staff on procedural - legal - and regulatory requirements during off-tour hours
• Serves as a point of contact for inquiries from the public - patients - families - media - congressional staff - and outside facilities while adhering to Privacy Act and FOIA guidelines
• Promotes positive patient relations and coordinates activities across hospital services
• Handles irregular administrative situations - physical plant issues - and emergency/disaster notifications
• Recalls on-call physicians - clinical staff - administrative support - or engineering personnel during emergent situations
• Maintains irregular tour logs for overtime - call-backs - and emergency repairs
• Conducts preliminary investigations and notifies leadership regarding unusual incidents (e.g. - injuries - suicides - or foul play)
• Assists with appointment cancellations - rescheduling due to unplanned leave - and orienting rotating clinical staff
• Conducts analytical reviews - special investigations - and administrative studies to recommend corrective actions
• Work Schedule: Intermittent Schedule - Rotation Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Medical Administrative Assistant/PD24017A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized