Even with politicians on both sides of the aisle calling for cuts in spending, support for health IT initiatives is one area that most agree will not fall victim to deficit-reduction proposals.

Take, for example, the new budget released by President Barack Obama. The administration claims that the document will reduce deficits by as much as $366 billion over the next decade. Even with all this cutting, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, which is overseeing the healthcare industry's transition to EHRs, managed to secure a modest increase in funds.

Government Health IT reports that the ONC's 2013 budget would grow 8.2 percent to a total of $66 million. By comparison, the total tab for all Department of Health and Human Services functions would only grow by 0.4 percent.

The ONC is the main agency responsible for carrying out the modernization of the healthcare industry, setting out the policy with which providers must comply in order to be eligible for incentive payments for their use of EHRs.

Politicians of all stripes, including current Republic presidential contender Newt Gingrich, have recognized in the past that government efforts can play a vital role in pushing the industry toward the goal of a networked system.