Summary
Lead Medical Records Technician (Coder) – full‑time (40 hrs/week), located in White River Junction, VT, within the White River Junction VA Medical Center’s Health Information Management section. Eligible for remote/virtual work, but may be required to report to the office per VA policy.
Qualifications & Requirements
United States citizenship (non‑citizens only if no qualified citizens can be recruited per VA policy).
One year of creditable experience equivalent to the journey grade level MRT (Coder).
Mastery‑level certification in medical coding (CMS/ICD‑10/ICD‑9/CPT/HCPCS).
Ability to perform all duties of an MRT (Coder) and to review coding for accuracy and timeliness.
Provision of coding guidance, training, and support to staff.
Experience in coding both inpatient and outpatient encounters is preferred.
Advanced knowledge of coding classification systems and ability to solve complex coding questions.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to collect and analyze data, present reports, and monitor regulatory changes.
Leadership skills – conflict resolution and interpersonal relations.
Demonstrated ability to work as a team and manage workflow.
Eligible for the GS‑9 performance level.
Physical requirements in accordance with VA Handbook 5019.
Duties
Assign codes to patient care encounters (inpatient and outpatient) covering the full range of services.
Apply advanced medical terminology, anatomy, and procedural knowledge to select appropriate codes.
Review patient health records (paper or electronic) to abstract data for coding, audit, research, and reporting.
Ensure compliance with coding guidelines, regulations, and VA‑specific criteria (e.g., Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation).
Provide technical support for coding, documentation, and billing questions.
Coordinate and monitor coding workflow, including report generation and trend analysis.
Develop and deliver coding training materials and curricula.
Assist with audit findings, claim denials, and coding error corrections.
Conduct performance evaluations and help identify educational needs.
Collaborate with clinical staff to clarify documentation and improve coding accuracy.
Maintain knowledge of regulatory changes affecting coding practices.
Serve as a lead for multiple coding specialty areas when applicable.
Work schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 am–4:30 pm (compressed/flexible not authorized).
Additional Information
Remote/virtual work is available but may be overridden by the Presidential Memorandum requiring in‑person work. Salary reflects locality pay and will be adjusted based on duty station. Applicants must submit a current SF‑50 for federal employees. This is a VA, AFGE bargaining unit position in the Excepted Service.
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