Ashley Lopez: Members of the more conservative Florida House released their alternative plan to Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act last week. So far, both Democrats and Gov. Rick Scott have criticized the plan.

Ashley Lopez: Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, said he is not writing off completely the possibility of expanding Medicaid in the Sunshine State.

Ashley Lopez: It looks like Medicaid expansion in Florida under the federal health care law might not happen.

Ashley Lopez: Even though Republican state officials have begrudgingly accepted that the 2011 health care reform law needs to be implemented in Florida, the once politically relevant tea party is still fighting the law.

Ashley Lopez: Only Texas spends less than Florida for mental health.

Ralph De La Cruz: After a controversial session last year, Florida lawmakers have said they want more cooperation and less confrontation this year. Now they even want to give the public the right to be heard.

Ralph De La Cruz: Florida lawmakers continue to turn away tens of millions from the federal government. And this time no one’s even quite sure why, or who, is responsible.

Ralph De La Cruz: Sen. Joe Negron, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, has discussed the possibility of cutting health care by as much as $1.5 billion, with $500 million squeezed from mental health. That’s two-thirds of the current mental health budget in Florida.