A U.S. appeals court yesterday upheld a key provision in the health-care reform law that will require most U.S. residents to enroll in a qualified plan or pay a fine, Reuters reported.

The ruling was the first by an appeals court, and legal experts have said they expect the issue to ultimately be addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court. The law, which aims to extend coverage to more than 30 million uninsured U.S. residents, requires residents to enroll in a health insurance plan starting in 2014 or face a fine.

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Cincinnati, ruled that the “minimum coverage provision is a valid exercise of legislative power by Congress under the Commerce Clause” of the U.S. Constitution.