AMPS's Security Certification Signals a New Baseline for Health Tech

PHOENIX, AZ – December 02, 2025 – In a move that sends a clear signal to the healthcare technology market, Advanced Medical Pricing Solutions (AMPS) announced it has achieved HITRUST e1 Assessment Certification. While cybersecurity certifications can often feel like technical jargon, this development represents a significant strategic marker in an industry grappling with unprecedented data vulnerabilities. It signals a shift where foundational, independently validated security is no longer a perk, but the price of entry for vendors handling sensitive health information.

AMPS, a company specializing in technology-driven healthcare cost containment for self-insured employers and other payors, operates at the intersection of finance and health—two of the most highly regulated and targeted sectors for cyberattacks. The announcement that its enterprise systems are now HITRUST e1 certified is more than a press release; it’s a declaration of its security posture in a post-breach world.

This certification validates what the company calls its “essential cybersecurity hygiene.” But what does that mean in practice? It confirms that AMPS has implemented and been tested on 44 foundational security controls aligned with authoritative federal standards, including CISA’s Cyber Essentials and NIST guidelines. Critically, unlike simple self-attestation questionnaires, this assessment was independently validated by a third party, providing a higher level of assurance for the brokers, consultants, and employers who rely on AMPS’s technology.

The New Table Stakes in Health Tech Security

The timing of this certification is pivotal. The healthcare industry is still reeling from the aftershocks of catastrophic cyberattacks, most notably the 2024 Change Healthcare ransomware incident that crippled billing and pharmacy operations nationwide. That event, along with major breaches at Ascension and Yale New Haven Health System, served as a brutal lesson: a vendor’s security weakness can become a system-wide crisis. In the wake of these events, the tolerance for unverified security claims has evaporated.

Consequently, large payors and health systems are raising the bar for their technology partners. HITRUST certification, in particular, has emerged as the de facto standard, with many major insurers now mandating it for their downstream vendors. For companies like AMPS, which are brought into competitive evaluations and RFP processes by brokers and consultants, proving their security mettle is now a non-negotiable part of the sales cycle. The e1 certification acts as a passport, streamlining third-party risk assessments and answering the security question before it’s even fully asked.

“As cybersecurity expectations rise, our stakeholders expect credible, validated assurance,” noted Jonathan Jeffress, Chief Operating Officer at AMPS, in the company’s official statement. This comment cuts to the core of the issue. Trust is the currency of the healthcare ecosystem, and in the digital age, that trust is built on a foundation of verifiable security. Achieving this certification demonstrates an understanding of this new reality, positioning AMPS not just as a solutions provider, but as a defensible partner.

A Strategic Play in a Crowded Field

In the competitive landscape of healthcare cost containment, where dozens of firms vie for the attention of self-insured employers, differentiation is key. While many vendors compete on price, analytics, or service, AMPS is now weaponizing security as a core competitive advantage. A quick survey of its direct competitors reveals that few publicly broadcast a validated HITRUST certification, giving AMPS a powerful and timely talking point.

For healthcare brokers and benefits consultants, this certification is particularly meaningful. Their reputation rests on the quality and reliability of the vendors they recommend. Recommending a vendor that later suffers a data breach can cause irreparable reputational and financial damage to their clients. By securing HITRUST e1 certification, AMPS provides these crucial intermediaries with a defensible reason to choose them. It transforms the conversation from “we promise to be secure” to “we have been independently verified against industry-recognized security standards.”

This is a growth signal that points toward market maturity. AMPS is betting that clients will increasingly choose the vendor that minimizes their risk profile. While the e1 certification is the foundational tier of the HITRUST framework—less comprehensive than the more rigorous i1 or r2 levels—it serves as an essential and accessible baseline. It signals a committed security program and a stepping stone toward higher levels of assurance, demonstrating a long-term vision for data protection.

Moving Beyond the Checkbox to Active Defense

Perhaps the most critical aspect of this development is what it says about AMPS’s approach to security: it’s dynamic, not static. The HITRUST framework is built on a Cyber Threat-Adaptive engine, meaning its control requirements are updated to reflect the evolving threat landscape. This directly addresses the cat-and-mouse game that organizations play with cybercriminals.

The certification specifically validates readiness against the very threats that have dominated headlines: phishing, ransomware, and brute force attacks. The 44 controls included in the e1 assessment cover the fundamentals of a strong defense—access control, endpoint protection, vulnerability management, and incident response. These are the digital trenches where the war against cyberattacks is won or lost daily.

“This achievement reflects our proactive approach to protecting data and our commitment to maintaining a strong security posture as threats evolve,” said Jami Griffiths, AMPS's Director of Cybersecurity and IT Administration. This proactive stance is what separates a compliance-focused mindset from a truly security-first culture. Regulatory compliance, like HIPAA, sets a floor for security. Threat-adaptive frameworks like HITRUST encourage organizations to build a defense that can anticipate and respond to the next attack, not just the last one.

By investing in this validated, threat-aware framework, AMPS is signaling that it views cybersecurity not as a cost center or a compliance hurdle, but as a core component of its product offering. For a company whose mission is to deliver cost savings, preventing a multi-million-dollar data breach is perhaps the most significant saving it could ever provide a client. This certification solidifies that value proposition, reinforcing the idea that in today's digital healthcare environment, true cost containment must begin with containing cyber risk.