How Do You Become A Rater

[Ricky]

Just wondering if anyone knows what qualifactions it takes to be a rater. Maybe if they were raised it would help with the back log. As we all know the back logs are a result of raters not following the law and regulations and their inability to fully understand the claims process as evidenced from some of the outrageous rating decisions and SOC's. Heck I guess it also extends to the senior raters (DRO's) as evidenced by the inadequate SOC's they issue.

[Boats]

Ricky,

Here is a Job Description from a current job posting on the usajobsite for a GS 9

Rating Veterans Service Representative

MAJOR DUTIES:

The Rating Veterans Service Representative (VSR) serves as a specialist and decision-maker for claims for veterans benefits involving rating decisions. The Rating VSR analyzes claims to determine: 1) if diseases and injuries were incurred or aggravated by military service in the line of duty for purposes of compensation, hospital and outpatient treatment, prosthetic appliances, vocational training, and related employment and compensation benefits; and 2) a need for a specific type of examination or re-examination. The Rating VSR applies the VA Schedule of Rating Disabilities which contains 15 body systems, innumerable disabilities and a percentage of evaluation for a disability to accurately rate claims.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

To qualify for this position, you must meet the requirements below:

You must have one-year of SPECIALIZED experience which is equivalent to the GS-7 level in the Federal service for the GS-9 level position and one-year of SPECIALIZED experience which is equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service for the GS-10 level position.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. This specialized experience can be gained in several occupations where assessments are regularly made on claims associated with medical, surgical or psychiatric issues. These occupations include: attorneys who handle medical malpractice and personal injury cases or nurses who have acted as an expert witness in medical malpractice and personal injury cases; registered nurses who assess medical claims of illness/injury, perform utilization reviews, or participate in quality assurance activities; or an individual who has held a position where he/she authorized and rated claims for benefits with an insurance company, disability program, or other federal agencies engaged in determining claims for benefits such as, Social Security Administration or the Department of Labor. Respiratory therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists and mental health care workers may also have the specialized experience required for this position.

EDUCATIONAL SUBSTITUTION: 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree (such as LL.B. or J.D.) for the GS-9 level and 2 ½ full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent graduate degree (such as LL.M. ) which provided you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Education must be related to the position being filled.

COMBINING EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: You can meet total qualifications for this job by combining specialized experience and appropriate education according to the following formula: (a) your total months of full time specialized experience as a percentage of a 12 month total; PLUS (;) your total number of qualifying graduate semester or quarter hours as a percentage of two years of graduate study leading to a master’s or equivalent graduate degree for the GS-9 and 2 ½ years of graduate study leading to a Ph.D. for the GS-10. The total of the two percentages must equal at least 100 percent.

All applicants must:

All males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with the Selective Service

[Philip Rogers]

Or like rats in a maze prefer to hit the denial button over the approval button!!!!! jmo

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