- Position Title
- Medical Records Technician (Coder In/Out)
- Agency
- Veterans Health Administration
- Announcement Number
- CBSR-12743911-25-TB Opens in new window
- Open Period
- Thursday, June 5, 2025 to Friday, June 13, 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.
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.
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).
Assessment 1
1.
1.Required 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 written and spoken English?
Are you proficient in written and spoken English?
2.
Certification Requirement:
Persons hired or reassigned to MRT (Coder) positions in the GS-0675series 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.
Do you possess any of the above certificates? (Proof of certification must be uploaded)
NOTE: Mastery level certification is required for all positions above the journey level; however, for clinical documentation improvement specialist assignments, a clinical documentation improvement certification may be substituted for a mastery level certification.
Persons hired or reassigned to MRT (Coder) positions in the GS-0675series 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.
Do you possess any of the above certificates? (Proof of certification must be uploaded)
NOTE: Mastery level certification is required for all positions above the journey level; however, for clinical documentation improvement specialist assignments, a clinical documentation improvement certification may be substituted for a mastery level certification.
3.
Basic Requirements
Experience:
(1) Experience. One year of creditable experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, and a general understanding of health records. Six months of the required one year of creditable experience must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed to perform MRT HIT work.
OR,
Education:
(2) 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, physiology, legal aspects of health care, and introduction to health records).
OR,
Combination of Experience/Education:
(3) Combination. Equivalent combinations of creditable experience and education are qualifying towards meeting basic experience requirements. The following educational/training substitutions are appropriate for combining education and creditable experience: (a) Six months of creditable experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology, privacy and release of information, the health record, and one year above high school with a minimum of six semester hours of health information technology/health information management. (b) Six months of creditable experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology, privacy and release of information, the health record, and successful completion of a course for medical technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or hospital training obtained in a training program given by the U.S. Armed Forces or the U.S. Maritime Service, under close medical and professional supervision, may be substituted on a month-for-month basis for up to six months of experience, provided the training program included courses in anatomy, physiology, and health record techniques and procedures.
Experience:
(1) Experience. One year of creditable experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, and a general understanding of health records. Six months of the required one year of creditable experience must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed to perform MRT HIT work.
OR,
Education:
(2) 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, physiology, legal aspects of health care, and introduction to health records).
OR,
Combination of Experience/Education:
(3) Combination. Equivalent combinations of creditable experience and education are qualifying towards meeting basic experience requirements. The following educational/training substitutions are appropriate for combining education and creditable experience: (a) Six months of creditable experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology, privacy and release of information, the health record, and one year above high school with a minimum of six semester hours of health information technology/health information management. (b) Six months of creditable experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology, privacy and release of information, the health record, and successful completion of a course for medical technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or hospital training obtained in a training program given by the U.S. Armed Forces or the U.S. Maritime Service, under close medical and professional supervision, may be substituted on a month-for-month basis for up to six months of experience, provided the training program included courses in anatomy, physiology, and health record techniques and procedures.
4.
Medical Records Technician (Coder-Outpatient and Inpatient), GS-5.
Do you meet the specialized experience requirements for the GS-5
(a) Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-4); Experience includes: 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.).
OR,
(b) 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.
Knowledge of The Joint Commission requirements, CMS, and/or health record documentation guidelines.
Ability to manage priorities and coordinate work to complete duties within required timeframes, and the ability to follow-up on pending issues.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
Do you meet the specialized experience requirements for the GS-5
(a) Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-4); Experience includes: 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.).
OR,
(b) 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.
Knowledge of The Joint Commission requirements, CMS, and/or health record documentation guidelines.
Ability to manage priorities and coordinate work to complete duties within required timeframes, and the ability to follow-up on pending issues.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
5.
Medical Records Technician (Coder-Outpatient and Inpatient), GS-6
(a) Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-5).
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
Ability to analyze the health record to identify all pertinent diagnoses and procedures for coding and to evaluate the adequacy of the documentation.
(a) Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-5).
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
Ability to analyze the health record to identify all pertinent diagnoses and procedures for coding and to evaluate the adequacy of the documentation.
6.
Medical Records Technician (Coder-Outpatient and Inpatient), GS-7
(a) Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-6)
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
Skill in applying current coding classifications to a variety of inpatient specialty care areas to accurately reflect service and care provided based on documentation in the health record. Ability to communicate with clinical staff for specific coding and documentation issues, such as recording diagnoses and procedures, the correct sequencing of diagnoses and/or procedures, and the relationship between health record documentation and code assignment. Ability to research and solve coding and documentation related issues. Skill in reviewing and correcting system or processing errors and ensuring all assigned work is complete. 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.
(a) Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-6)
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
Skill in applying current coding classifications to a variety of inpatient specialty care areas to accurately reflect service and care provided based on documentation in the health record. Ability to communicate with clinical staff for specific coding and documentation issues, such as recording diagnoses and procedures, the correct sequencing of diagnoses and/or procedures, and the relationship between health record documentation and code assignment. Ability to research and solve coding and documentation related issues. Skill in reviewing and correcting system or processing errors and ensuring all assigned work is complete. 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.
7.
Medical Records Technician (Coder-Outpatient and Inpatient), GS-8
(a) Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7).
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
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.
(a) Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7).
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
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.
Resume Reminder: Your resume must include the following information: Experience: Starting and ending dates of experience (month and year), hours worked per week and salary information). Education: name and location of college, dates attended, and type and date of any degree earned. (If selected, official transcript will be required) Licenses and/or certificates earned (including the state earned in). 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.