Medical billing onboarding: your first 30 days with Northgate
Our medical billing onboarding process takes about 30 days. You sign online, we set up access and load your payers, we run a parallel month alongside whoever bills for you today, then we send your first report. Your part is small: a software login and a few documents.
Two minutes online. No sales call unless you ask for one.
- Day 0Sign onlineAgreement and BAA in one form
- Day 5Set upAccess, payers, fee schedules, open A/R
- Wk 1 to 4Parallel runClaims out within 48 hours, weekly report
- Day 30First reviewFirst-pass rate, days in A/R, denials
Timings are our standard plan; confirmed in writing before you sign.
What happens after you sign?
Sign online
Service agreement and BAA in your browser, in one form. Credentialing clients upload documents in the same form.
Day 0We get set up
You add us as a user in your software. We load your payers and fee schedules and review your open A/R. Your account lead emails you their direct line.
Within 5 business daysParallel run
We work claims alongside your current process, so claims keep moving. Claims go out within 48 hours. A written report arrives every week from week one.
Weeks 1 to 4First review
Your account lead walks you through your first-pass rate, days in A/R, denials, and what we found in open A/R. After that, we run your billing.
Day 30
What do you need to do?
- Sign the service agreement and BAA.
- Add us as a user in your practice management software, with a role-based login of our own. Never share your password.
- Send your payer list and fee schedules, if you have them.
- Send a recent aging report and any open denials.
- Credentialing clients: NPI, licenses and the documents listed on the intake form.
Do not have everything? Start anyway. We will tell you what is missing.
What does onboarding cost?
Nothing. There is no onboarding fee and no setup fee. Access setup, payer and fee-schedule loading, the open A/R review and the parallel run are covered by the rate you pay on what we collect. No statement fee, no per-claim fee, no charge for appeals. Full details on our medical billing pricing.
Questions practices ask before onboarding
How long does medical billing onboarding take?
About 30 days from signed agreement to your first review. We are set up within 5 business days, then run one parallel month. Credentialing runs on its own, longer timeline by payer.
Will onboarding disrupt my current billing?
It should not. You keep your software and your data. For the first month we work alongside your current process, so claims keep going out while we take over.
Am I locked into a long contract?
No. Month-to-month is available, or 12 months for a lower rate. The rate on the pricing page is the rate on your agreement.
What do I need to switch from my current billing company?
A recent aging report, your open denials and your payer list. Ask your current company for them in writing. Our guide to switching medical billing companies covers the full handover.
Last updated 12 October 2026. Reviewed by Name, title pending, Northgate Billing.
Not ready to start? See what your billing is missing first
Send us a 90-day aging report or ERA summary. We return a written audit within 3 business days. No call required.
- Your denial rate and the top three reasons behind it
- Days in A/R against the benchmark for your specialty
- Where the money is leaking and what we estimate is recoverable