WASHINGTON—On the eve of a Supreme Court ruling on the legality of the landmark 2010 health care reform law, the Obama administration says it is “confident” that the law is constitutional.

“We're, as I've said in the past, confident that the Affordable Care Act is constitutional, in keeping with decades of precedent under the Commerce Clause” of the Constitution, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said Tuesday during a news briefing.

The administration is “ready for the Supreme Court's decision, whatever it may be,” he said. Once that ruling is handed down, “we'll make decisions about what to say about it.”

On Monday, the justices said they will issue their ruling Thursday on challenges to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The decision is expected to go in one of three directions:

•The justices will strike down the law's individual mandate, which will require most U.S. residents to enroll in a qualified health care plan or pay a financial penalty starting in 2014.

•The justices will allow the individual mandate to stand.

•The justices will strike down the individual mandate and with it the full law.

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