Final answer:
The second step in the standard medical billing cycle is insurance verification, which follows patient registration and precedes coding, billing, and claim submission.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the standard medical billing cycle, the second step is insurance verification. After a patient completes patient registration, which is the first step, their insurance details are verified. This is an essential step as it determines the coverage and benefits the patient is entitled to, ensuring the healthcare provider knows how much of the service will be covered by insurance before proceeding with additional steps such as coding and billing and claim submission.