Employment Type : Full-Time
The Wichita VA Medical Center is recruiting for Medical Records Technician (Coder) Auditor to work in the largest city in the state of Kansas. The Wichita metro population is roughly 500,000 and has a charming area with relatively reasonable cost for housing, 28 art galleries, 33 museums, and award-winning cultural opportunities. We are proudly home to the Wichita State Shockers Men's College Basketball team. Live and work in the heart of America! The following are examples of the duties for a Medical Record Technician (Coder) Auditor (Outpatient & Inpatient). The duties performed are NOT limited to the ones listed. Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position. No None 0675 Medical Records Technician Requirements IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Receiving Service Credit or 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. You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. Other No Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk Suitability/Fitness Required Documents To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating. Benefits A career with the U.S. Government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Learn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered. U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.DutiesSummary
Responsibilities
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Bargaining Unit: Covered
Salary Range:
GS-9: $53,433 - $69,462
Functional Statement Title/#: Medical Records Technician (Coder) Auditor, GS-0675-09
Telework or Virtual Assignment MAY be eligible for a highly qualified applicant.Travel Required
QualificationsBasic Requirements:
U.S. citizenship. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
English Language Proficiency. Medical Records Technicians (Coders) must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
Experience or Education
Experience. One year of creditable experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, medical coding, and the structure and format of health records;
OR,
Education.
An associate's degree from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education with a major field of study in health information technology/health information management, or a related degree with a minimum of 12 semester hours in health information technology/health information management (e.g., courses in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, medical coding, and introduction to health records)Combination of Experience and Education. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable,
OR,
Completed an AHIMA approved coding program, or other intense coding training program of approximately one year or more that included courses in anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, basic ICD diagnostic/procedural, and basic CPT coding. The training program must have led to eligibility for coding certification/certification examination, and the sponsoring academic institution must have been accredited by a national U.S. Department of Education accreditor, or comparable internal accrediting authority at the time the program was completed;
OR,
Experience/Education Combination.
I have an equivalent combination of creditable experience and education to meet the basic requirements. The following educational/training substitutions are appropriate for combining education and creditable experience:
AND,
Certification: As part of the basic requirements for this occupation, persons hired or reassigned to Medical Records Technician (Coder) position in the GS-0675 series in VHA must have either (1), (2), or (3) below:
(1) Apprentice/Associate Level Certification through AHIMA or AAPC.
(2) Mastery Level Certification through AHIMA or AAPC.
(3) Clinical Documentation Improvement Certification through AHIMA or ACDIS.
(The Medical Records Technician (Coder) Auditor is an assignment above the journey level; therefore, you must have a mastery level certification through AHIMA or AAPC to qualify for this position, mentioned below).
Grade Determination
GS-9 MRT (Coder) Auditor (Outpatient & Inpatient)
Experience or Education.
You must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the journey grade level of a Medical Records Technician (Coder). This experience can include but is not limited to, performing the full scope of inpatient and outpatient coding duties; selecting and assigning codes from current versions of ICD CM, PCS, CPT, and HCPCS classification systems to both inpatient and outpatient records; independently reviewing and abstracting clinical data from the record for documentation of diagnoses and procedures to ensure it is adequate and appropriate to support the assigned codes; coding all complicated and complex medical/specialty disease processes, patient injuries, and all medical procedures in a wide range of ambulatory/inpatient settings and specialties; directly consult with clinical staff for clarification of conflicting, incomplete, or ambiguous clinical data in the health record; abstracting, assigning, and sequencing codes into encoder software; review provider health record documentation to ensure it supports diagnostic procedural codes assigned and is consistent with required medical coding nomenclature.
In addition, candidates MUST demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities (KSAs):
Certification. The Medical Records Technician (Coder) Auditor is an assignment above the journey level; therefore, you must have a mastery level certification through AHIMA or AAPC to qualify for this position.
Assignment.
Auditors must be able to perform all duties of a MRT (Coder). Auditors serve as experts of current coding conventions and guidelines related to professional and facility coding. Auditors perform audits of encounters to identify areas of non-compliance in coding. They facilitate improved overall qualify, completeness, and accuracy of coded data. They provide recommendations on appropriate coding and are responsible for maintain current knowledge of the various regulatory guidelines and requirements. They assist facility staff with documentation requirements to completely and accurately reflect the patient care provided. They provide technical support in the areas of regulations and policy, coding requirements, resident supervision, reimbursement, workload, accepted nomenclature, and proper sequencing. They directly consult with clinical staff for clarification of conflicting or ambiguous clinical data. They use computer applications with varied functions to produce a wide range of reports, to abstract records, and review assigned codes. They perform prospective and retrospective coding audits and use results to identify documentation, coding inadequacies, and re-educate clinical and coding staff based on audit results. They act independently to plan, organize, and perform auditing with emphasis on data validation, analysis, and generation of reports. They assist in the development of guidelines for data quality, consistency, and monitoring for compliance to improve the quality of clinical, financial, and administrative data. They ensure all coded data is fully documented and supported.
References: VA Handbook 5005/122, Part II, Appendix G57
Physical Requirements: Most of the work is sedentary and involves data entry into a computer. Must be able to communicate with the veteran patient, their family, and staff. May involve carrying light loads such as paper files. Education
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
How You Will Be Evaluated
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.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete application package. Requests for reconsideration of ratings will not be considered for applicants who fail to submit required documents. We cannot be held responsible for incompatible software or uploads. Required documents are listed below.
The following documents are required:
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.
Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx.If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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