Another appeals court upholds Obama health-care law

A federal court has held that President Obama's health care law is constitutional (pdf).

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia dismissed a claim from a Christian legal group that a provision in the law requiring almost all Americans to get health insurance--known as the individual mandate--violates the Constitution.

The opinion was written by Judge Laurence Silberman, who was appointed by President Ronald Reagan and is known as a conservative.

The suit was just one of several that have sought to have the law struck down. The court's ruling means that five appeals courts have now upheld the law, while one has ruled against it, according to a tally compiled by Kaiser Health News.

It's almost certain that the issue will be resolved by the Supreme Court, perhaps as early as June 2012.