- Position Title
- Medical Records Technician - Coder (External)
- Agency
- Veterans Health Administration
- Announcement Number
- CBTD-12734428-25-MN Opens in new window
- Open Period
- Thursday, June 5, 2025 to Friday, June 20, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1.
Do you claim Veterans’ Preference?
Preferences
1.
Select the location(s) you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one location.
2.
Select the lowest grade you are willing to accept for this position.
3.
Which of the following items describes your current or recent (within the last five years) political appointee service?
If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
Your resume must be submitted in English and include the following information for each job listed:
- Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible)
- Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
- Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
- Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held
- Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.
In order to receive appropriate consideration, you should submit proper documentation if you are claiming eligibility for Veterans' Preference, which includes a copy of your DD-214 (member copy 4 or earlier version that shows character of service). Applicant's claiming 10-Point preference should also submit an SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference along with the required documentation listed on the form (such as verification of service-connected disability percentage).
By submitting your application, you are certifying, to the best of your knowledge and belief, all the information submitted by you with your application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that you have truthfully and accurately represented your work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education (degrees, accomplishments, etc.). The information you provide as part of your application may be investigated. You are also certifying, and acknowledging, that misrepresenting your experience or education, or providing false or fraudulent information in, or with your application, may affect your eligibility for appointment and/or continued employment. False or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001).
4.
In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Are you proficient in basic written and spoken English?
If you are basing your qualifications on education (or a combination of education and experience) or if the position requires a college education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your transcripts with your application.
Assessment 1
Please select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your current level of education and/or experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience or education as proof to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task.
Please be sure to submit all the supporting documents as they apply to your eligibility and qualifications. The checklist for the supporting documents can also be found in the Required Documents section of the vacancy announcement.
Please be sure to submit all the supporting documents as they apply to your eligibility and qualifications. The checklist for the supporting documents can also be found in the Required Documents section of the vacancy announcement.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
1.
English Language Proficiency: MRTs (Coder) must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
Are you proficient in the English Language?
Are you proficient in the English Language?
2.
Experience and Education:
Do you have the Education, Experience or a combination of both?
Do you have the Education, Experience or a combination of both?
3.
Certification: Persons hired or reassigned to MRT (Coder) positions in the GS-0675 series in VHA must have either A, B, or C below: (please select which certification you possess)
Grade Determinations: Medical Records Technician (Coder)
Qualifications: GS-04 (Entry Level): None beyond the basic requirements indicated above.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
4.
In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met.
GS-05:
Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-04,
OR
Education: Successful completion of a bachelor'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 management, or a related degree with a minimum of 24 semester hours in health information management or technology
AND
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
i. Ability to use health information technology and various office software products used in MRT (Coder) positions (e.g., the electronic health record, coding and abstracting software, etc.).
ii. Ability to navigate through and abstract pertinent information from health records.
iii. Knowledge of the ICD CM, PCS Official Conventions and Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, and CPT guidelines
iv. Ability to apply knowledge of medical terminology, human anatomy/physiology, and disease processes to accurately assign codes to inpatient and outpatient episodes of care based on health record documentation.
v. Knowledge of The Joint Commission requirements, CMS, and/or health record documentation guidelines.
vi. Ability to manage priorities and coordinate work to complete duties within required timeframes, and the ability to follow-up on pending issues.
Do you meet the education/experience requirement and demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities for the GS-05 level?
GS-05:
Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-04,
OR
Education: Successful completion of a bachelor'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 management, or a related degree with a minimum of 24 semester hours in health information management or technology
AND
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
i. Ability to use health information technology and various office software products used in MRT (Coder) positions (e.g., the electronic health record, coding and abstracting software, etc.).
ii. Ability to navigate through and abstract pertinent information from health records.
iii. Knowledge of the ICD CM, PCS Official Conventions and Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, and CPT guidelines
iv. Ability to apply knowledge of medical terminology, human anatomy/physiology, and disease processes to accurately assign codes to inpatient and outpatient episodes of care based on health record documentation.
v. Knowledge of The Joint Commission requirements, CMS, and/or health record documentation guidelines.
vi. Ability to manage priorities and coordinate work to complete duties within required timeframes, and the ability to follow-up on pending issues.
Do you meet the education/experience requirement and demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities for the GS-05 level?
5.
In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met.
GS-06:
Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-05,
AND
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
i. Ability to analyze the health record to identify all pertinent diagnoses and procedures for coding and to evaluate the adequacy of the documentation.
ii. Ability to determine whether health records contain sufficient information for regulatory requirements, are acceptable as legal documents, are adequate for continuity of patient care, and support the assigned codes. This includes the ability to take appropriate actions if health record contents are not complete, accurate, timely, and/or reliable.
iii. Ability to apply laws and regulations on the confidentiality of health information (e.g., Privacy Act, Freedom of Information Act, and HIPAA).
iv. Ability to accurately apply the ICD CM, PCS Official Conventions and Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, and CPT Guidelines to various coding scenarios.
v. Comprehensive knowledge of current classification systems, such as ICD CM, PCS, CPT, HCPCS, and skill in applying classifications to both inpatient and outpatient records based on health record documentation.
vi. Knowledge of complication or comorbidity/major complication or comorbidity (CC/MCC) and POA indicators to obtain correct MS-DRG.
Do you meet the experience requirement and demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities for the GS-06 level?
GS-06:
Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-05,
AND
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
i. Ability to analyze the health record to identify all pertinent diagnoses and procedures for coding and to evaluate the adequacy of the documentation.
ii. Ability to determine whether health records contain sufficient information for regulatory requirements, are acceptable as legal documents, are adequate for continuity of patient care, and support the assigned codes. This includes the ability to take appropriate actions if health record contents are not complete, accurate, timely, and/or reliable.
iii. Ability to apply laws and regulations on the confidentiality of health information (e.g., Privacy Act, Freedom of Information Act, and HIPAA).
iv. Ability to accurately apply the ICD CM, PCS Official Conventions and Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, and CPT Guidelines to various coding scenarios.
v. Comprehensive knowledge of current classification systems, such as ICD CM, PCS, CPT, HCPCS, and skill in applying classifications to both inpatient and outpatient records based on health record documentation.
vi. Knowledge of complication or comorbidity/major complication or comorbidity (CC/MCC) and POA indicators to obtain correct MS-DRG.
Do you meet the experience requirement and demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities for the GS-06 level?
6.
In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met.
GS-07:
Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-06,
AND
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
i. Skill in applying current coding classifications to a variety of inpatient and outpatient specialty care areas to accurately reflect service and care provided based on documentation in the health record.
ii. Ability to communicate with clinical staff for specific coding and documentation issues, such as recording inpatient and outpatient diagnoses and procedures, the correct sequencing of diagnoses and/or procedures, and the relationship between health record documentation and code assignment.
iii. Ability to research and solve coding and documentation related issues.
iv. Skill in reviewing and correcting system or processing errors and ensuring all assigned work is complete.
v. Ability to abstract, assign, and sequence codes, including complication or comorbidity/major complication or comorbidity (CC/MCC), and POA indicators to obtain correct MS-DRG.
Do you meet the experience requirement and demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities for the GS-07 level?
GS-07:
Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-06,
AND
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
i. Skill in applying current coding classifications to a variety of inpatient and outpatient specialty care areas to accurately reflect service and care provided based on documentation in the health record.
ii. Ability to communicate with clinical staff for specific coding and documentation issues, such as recording inpatient and outpatient diagnoses and procedures, the correct sequencing of diagnoses and/or procedures, and the relationship between health record documentation and code assignment.
iii. Ability to research and solve coding and documentation related issues.
iv. Skill in reviewing and correcting system or processing errors and ensuring all assigned work is complete.
v. Ability to abstract, assign, and sequence codes, including complication or comorbidity/major complication or comorbidity (CC/MCC), and POA indicators to obtain correct MS-DRG.
Do you meet the experience requirement and demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities for the GS-07 level?
7.
In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met.
GS-08 (Full Performance Level):
Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-07,
AND
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
i. Ability to analyze the health record to identify all pertinent diagnoses and procedures for coding and to evaluate the adequacy of the documentation. This includes the ability to read and understand the content of the health record, the terminology, the significance of the comments, and the disease process/pathophysiology of the patient.
ii. Ability to accurately perform the full scope of outpatient coding, including ambulatory surgical cases, diagnostic studies and procedures, and outpatient encounters, and inpatient facility coding, including inpatient discharges, surgical cases, diagnostic studies and procedures, and inpatient professional services.
iii. Skill in interpreting and adapting health information guidelines that are not completely applicable to the work, or have gaps in specificity, and the ability to use judgment in completing assignments using incomplete or inadequate guidelines.
Do you meet the experience requirement and demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities for the GS-08 level?
GS-08 (Full Performance Level):
Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-07,
AND
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
i. Ability to analyze the health record to identify all pertinent diagnoses and procedures for coding and to evaluate the adequacy of the documentation. This includes the ability to read and understand the content of the health record, the terminology, the significance of the comments, and the disease process/pathophysiology of the patient.
ii. Ability to accurately perform the full scope of outpatient coding, including ambulatory surgical cases, diagnostic studies and procedures, and outpatient encounters, and inpatient facility coding, including inpatient discharges, surgical cases, diagnostic studies and procedures, and inpatient professional services.
iii. Skill in interpreting and adapting health information guidelines that are not completely applicable to the work, or have gaps in specificity, and the ability to use judgment in completing assignments using incomplete or inadequate guidelines.
Do you meet the experience requirement and demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities for the GS-08 level?
SF-50 REMINDER: If you are claiming eligibility as a current federal employee, your SF-50, Notice of Personnel Action must be uploaded with your application. Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade. Examples of appropriate SF-50's include: Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.
RESUME REMINDER: Your resume must include the following information each job listed: Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible) Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2017 to April 2018) Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week) Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail. Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.
EDUCATION REMINDER: If you are using education or training to qualify for this position, you MUST upload/submit supporting documentation (i.e. transcripts, certificate of completion of training). Failure to do so will make you ineligible for consideration.
RESUME REMINDER: Your resume must include the following information each job listed: Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible) Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2017 to April 2018) Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week) Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail. Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.
EDUCATION REMINDER: If you are using education or training to qualify for this position, you MUST upload/submit supporting documentation (i.e. transcripts, certificate of completion of training). Failure to do so will make you ineligible for consideration.