Will DNC in Philly turn out to be the health care convention?

What happened to health care as the burning issue that stirred political passions? The Republicans hardly mentioned it in Cleveland. Donald Trump devoted only 17 words to the subject in his acceptance speech. (See my blog post of July 22.)

Back in 2012, health care took center stage at the Republican convention. Mitt Romney boldly declared that he would repeal the Affordable Care Act on day one as president (although he wouldn't actually have had the authority to do so). Repeal of the law was a major rallying cry for the party's base.

This year, health care was barely mentioned. Even Ted Cruz, who briefly shut down the government to support an ACA repeal push in the Senate, made only two brief references to what he saw as overbearing Democratic policies.

What about the Democrats? Is health care still a pressing concern for them? Judging from the convention speeches by party luminaries, it is.

Bernie Sanders devoted 219 words to the subject (about 13 times more attention than Trump). He reiterated his call for universal health care and praised Hillary Clinton for supporting policies to expand access.

Michelle Obama and Elizabeth Warren, the other big-name speakers on the opening night, also addressed the subject. Both mentioned Clinton's struggles to expand health care access in praising her.

Health care is an issue that affects everyone. The ACA has done much to reshape the way it is delivered and financed, but it doesn't address everything. The challenges we currently face – from implementing new technologies like genomics to fighting new infectious diseases like Zika – require responses that go well beyond simply deciding whether the law stays or goes.

It's nice to know that some politicians still care enough about health care to highlight its importance to their party's faithful. Let's hope we hear more.

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