A U.S. federal appeals court in Virginia heard arguments Tuesday on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.
There are more than 30 cases challenging the ACA, and this is the first to hit the court of appeals, the next step before the Supreme Court might consider the case.
A panel of three judges heard the case in the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va. The judges have not yet issued a written ruling, but Bill Mears of CNN reported Tuesday that they "expressed strong support" for President Barack Obama's health reform law.
The Virginia appeals court weighed in on the case after two judges in lower Virginia courts gave conflicting verdicts. One of the cases centered on the ACA's mandate to require all Americans to buy health insurance or pay a penalty.
[See also: Federal district judge rules in favor of healthcare reform.]
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has argued that Congress does not have the right to use the Constitution's commerce clause to "force" people to buy health insurance.
"This is why I have said all along that this is about liberty, not healthcare," he said in a written statement Tuesday.
"If we cross this constitutional line with healthcare now – where the government can force us to buy a private product and say it is for our own good – then we will have given the government the power to force us to buy other private products, such as cars, gym memberships or even asparagus," he said.
The Obama administration has argued that every American will need healthcare in his or her lifetime, making it an issue of commerce. If healthy people aren't included in the pool of insured, the administration has argued, then health insurance premium costs won't be able to cover those with pre-existing conditions, as the ACA requires.
[See also: Dems pick up the pace in defense of health insurance mandate.]
On April 25, the Supreme Court denied Cuccinelli's plea to take the case without going through an appeals court first. Cuccinelli had argued that a quick resolution is needed "before billions are spent" on complying with the ACA.
Appeals courts in Georgia and Ohio are expected to take up similar cases in June, according to CNN.
Follow Diana Manos on Twitter @DManosHFN.