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HITRUST

HITRUST CSF Certification — The Credential That Ends Repetitive Healthcare Security Questionnaires

Norvex Assurance is an authorised HITRUST External Assessor organisation. We manage your entire HITRUST journey — from assessment type selection through MyCSF completion, validated assessment, and HITRUST QA — so you receive the healthcare industry's most trusted security certification.

HITRUST CSF Certification

End-to-end managed service

#1
Trusted Security Framework in US Healthcare
150+
HITRUST Clients Certified
2-Year
r2 Certification Validity

What Is HITRUST CSF — and Why Does US Healthcare Demand It?

The HITRUST Common Security Framework (CSF) is a prescriptive, risk-based framework that harmonises the requirements of HIPAA, NIST SP 800-53, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, COBIT, and other healthcare-relevant standards into a single, independently validated certification. It was created specifically because healthcare organisations grew tired of sending and receiving dozens of different security questionnaires — HITRUST replaces them all. For healthcare IT vendors, payers, and business associates, HITRUST r2 certification is the gold standard signal of security maturity. Major US health plans — including United, Cigna, Aetna, and Humana — accept a current HITRUST r2 certification in lieu of their own security assessments. Without it, selling into enterprise healthcare means answering the same questions, hundreds of times, to every prospective client.

Key Highlights

  • Accepted by all major US health plans as a replacement for proprietary security assessments
  • Three assessment types: e1 (Essential, 44 controls), i1 (Implemented, 182 controls), r2 (Risk-Based, 200–2,000+ controls)
  • Harmonises HIPAA, NIST 800-53, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, and 40+ other authoritative sources
  • 2-year r2 certification with a single interim review — unlike annual SOC 2 renewals

Who Needs HITRUST?

Healthcare IT Vendors
Health Plans & Payers
Hospital Systems
Pharmacy Benefit Managers & Revenue Cycle Companies

Not sure if you need HITRUST?

Talk to one of our experts — free, no obligation.

SOC 2 Type I vs Type II — A Clear Comparison

Most companies start with Type I to establish a baseline, then graduate to Type II within 6–12 months.

e1 (Essential)

44 Critical Cybersecurity Controls

What it covers

Evaluates the most critical cybersecurity practices aligned to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. Focuses on foundational controls like access management, malware protection, and vulnerability management.

Timeline

3–5 months with Norvex Assurance

Best for

Organizations new to HITRUST, those responding to specific payer requests for a baseline assessment, or companies building toward i1 or r2.

Business impact

Establishes a validated security baseline and demonstrates commitment to the HITRUST framework. Accepted by some payers as an entry-level credential.

Gold Standard

i1 (Implemented)

~182 Implemented Controls

What it covers

Assesses implementation of approximately 182 controls across all HITRUST CSF control categories. Tests whether controls are implemented and functioning, not just documented.

Timeline

6–9 months with Norvex Assurance

Best for

Organizations with a moderate risk profile that need to demonstrate implemented security controls to healthcare partners but aren't yet ready for the full r2 assessment.

Business impact

Broader recognition than e1. Accepted by a growing number of payers and health systems as evidence of a mature security programme.

r2 (Risk-Based)

200 – 2,000+ Risk-Scaled Controls

What it covers

The most comprehensive HITRUST assessment. Control count is determined by risk factors including regulatory environment, organizational complexity, and data volume. Tests both implementation and operating effectiveness.

Timeline

12–18 months with Norvex Assurance

Best for

Healthcare IT vendors, payers, and business associates that need maximum market coverage — accepted by all major US health plans as a replacement for proprietary assessments.

Business impact

The HITRUST r2 is the healthcare industry's gold standard. It eliminates repetitive questionnaires from enterprise buyers and positions your organization as a trusted, security-mature partner.

Not sure which type you need?

Our HITRUST Process

01

Assessment Type Selection & Scoping

We evaluate your customer requirements, risk profile, and organizational complexity to determine the right HITRUST assessment type. We then define your scope — systems, applications, and data flows — to keep the assessment focused and cost-effective.

02

Readiness Assessment

Our authorised HITRUST assessors evaluate your current control environment against HITRUST requirements. We deliver a control-level gap report with risk-ranked remediation priorities.

03

Remediation & Implementation

Hands-on remediation support across your engineering, security, and compliance teams. We draft policies, configure tools, build evidence libraries, and train staff — until every gap is closed.

04

MyCSF Self-Assessment

We guide you through completing the HITRUST MyCSF self-assessment — entering control scores, uploading evidence, and documenting implementation narratives for every applicable control.

05

Validated Assessment (External Assessor)

As an authorised HITRUST External Assessor, Norvex Assurance conducts the validated assessment — reviewing your self-assessment responses, testing a sample of controls, and submitting your assessment to HITRUST.

06

HITRUST QA Review

HITRUST's internal quality assurance team reviews your submission. We manage all communication, respond to HITRUST queries, and work through any QA findings on your behalf.

07

Certification & Interim Review

Receive your HITRUST CSF Certification Letter. Norvex Assurance provides interim year review preparation and ongoing monitoring to keep your certification current through the full two-year cycle.

Business Impact

Why Get HITRUST Certified?

Eliminate Repetitive Questionnaires

A current HITRUST r2 certification replaces security questionnaires from all major US health plans and most enterprise healthcare buyers — permanently.

Regulatory Harmonisation

HITRUST maps to HIPAA, NIST, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, and other frameworks simultaneously. One certification addresses multiple regulatory obligations.

Authorised External Assessor

Norvex Assurance is an authorised HITRUST External Assessor. You don't need a separate assessor — we handle readiness, validated assessment, and QA management in a single engagement.

2-Year Certification Validity

Unlike annual SOC 2 renewals, HITRUST r2 certification is valid for two years with a single interim review, reducing ongoing compliance overhead.

Cyber Insurance Leverage

Leading cyber insurers recognize HITRUST r2 certification as evidence of mature security controls, often translating to premium reductions.

Board-Level Credibility

HITRUST certification is recognized by healthcare boards and C-suites as the definitive benchmark for information security maturity in the sector.

Everything You Get with Our HITRUST Programme

Our fixed-scope engagement covers every deliverable needed to achieve and maintain your HITRUST certification — no hidden extras.

01
Assessment type recommendation, scoping document, and project plan
02
Control-level gap assessment with risk-ranked remediation roadmap
03
Complete HITRUST policy and procedure documentation suite
04
Evidence library aligned to all applicable HITRUST control categories
05
MyCSF self-assessment — fully completed with control scores and evidence uploads
06
Validated assessment conducted by Norvex Assurance as authorised External Assessor
07
HITRUST QA management and response to assessor queries
08
HITRUST CSF Certification Letter + interim year review preparation
Transparent Pricing

SOC 2 Certification Cost — No Surprises

We believe you deserve to know what SOC 2 costs before you commit. All engagements begin with a free scoping call — no obligation.

e1 Assessment

Essential — 44 Controls

$20,000 – $35,000

USD + HITRUST Fees · 3–5 months

Ideal forOrganizations new to HITRUST building a validated security baseline, or those responding to a specific payer request for an entry-level HITRUST credential.

  • Assessment type scoping and readiness evaluation
  • Gap analysis against e1 control set
  • Policy documentation and evidence preparation
  • MyCSF self-assessment completion
  • Validated assessment by authorised External Assessor
Most Popular

r2 Assessment

Risk-Based — 200–2,000+ Controls

$60,000 – $150,000

USD + HITRUST Fees · 12–18 months

Ideal forHealthcare IT vendors, payers, and business associates that need maximum market coverage and acceptance by all major US health plans.

  • Everything in the e1 tier
  • Full r2 control gap analysis and risk-based remediation planning
  • Hands-on remediation across all control categories
  • Complete MyCSF r2 assessment management
  • Full validated assessment, QA management, and Certification Letter

Enterprise

HITRUST + Multi-Framework

$150,000+

USD · Custom

Ideal forLarge healthcare organizations or vendors pursuing HITRUST r2 alongside HIPAA programme build, SOC 2, or ISO 27001 in an integrated engagement.

  • Everything in the r2 tier
  • Integrated HIPAA + HITRUST or multi-framework programme
  • Executive and board-level reporting
  • Dedicated senior healthcare compliance partner
  • Ongoing surveillance and continuous monitoring retainer

Serving global clients in the US, India, UAE, Singapore, and beyond. All pricing quoted in USD.

What Our Clients Say

"We were losing deals with major payers because they required HITRUST r2 and we only had SOC 2. Norvex Assurance managed the entire r2 assessment — 14 months, end to end. We now close healthcare enterprise deals in weeks instead of quarters."

Chief Information Security Officer

Healthcare Data Analytics Company — Series C

"The MyCSF platform is complex and the control evidence requirements are enormous. Having Norvex Assurance as our External Assessor meant we always knew exactly what evidence was needed and in what format. The QA process was virtually frictionless."

VP of Compliance

Revenue Cycle Management Platform

"We started with an i1 to establish our HITRUST credentials quickly, then moved to r2 18 months later. Norvex Assurance structured both engagements so the i1 work built directly into r2 — no duplication, no wasted effort. Brilliant approach."

Head of Product Security

Population Health Management SaaS

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