WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, several news outlets reported.

According to the USA Today website, the justices ruled that Congress "may have overreached in part with the individual mandate," a provision requiring most Americans to buy health insurance or pay a fine, but held the provision constitutional as a tax.

Chief Justice John Roberts, who was appointed to the court by President George W. Bush, reportedly was the key vote in the court's decision. 

Passage of the act in March 2010, which was approved by Democrats in Congress, was an initiative of President Barack Obama, and the court's decision is expected to play a key role in this year's presidential election.

The ruling, including the opinion of the court, opinons by Justices Roberts and Ruth Bader Ginsberg and a dissent by Justices Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, can be found here.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.