Opinion ID: 199901
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Federal Constitutional Claims

Text: 19 Currie also claims that the GIC's use of the Hartford policy violates her federal constitutional rights to equal protection and due process of law. 20 Currie faces a difficult test under the equal protection clause. Currie does not contest the district court's holding that the policy will survive equal protection scrutiny if it is rationally related to a legitimate governmental purpose. 6 In its brief, the GIC asserts three possible justifications for the policy: 1) hospitalization serves as a proxy for determining those with the greatest need, i.e., those with the longest or most severe disability; 2) hospitalization serves as a proxy for verifying total disability; and 3) some limitation is necessary to keep costs at a viable level. 7 Currie's response boils down to two main points: 1) that none of these rationales explain why mental disability should be treated differently than other disabilities, such as muscular-skeletal disorders, that are common and difficult to verify, and the distinction is therefore arbitrary; and 2) that the policy will eventually cost the GIC more, because it undermines beneficiaries' attempts to return to work, and therefore is not rationally related to cost concerns. 21 Currie's due process claim rests on the theory that the policy impermissibly denies her a government benefit on a basis that infringes her constitutionally protected interest (namely, her right to liberty of person). See, e.g., Perry v. Sindermann, 408 U.S. 593, 597 (1972) (holding that it would be impermissible for government to deny renewal of employment contract based on employee's exercise of free speech rights). A state policy that has the effect of penalizing the exercise of a fundamental right must be justified by a compelling state interest in order to survive constitutional scrutiny. Shapiro v. Thompson, 394 U.S. 618, 634-38 (1969) (administrative reasons for denying welfare benefits to recent interstate immigrants not compelling), overruled in part on different grounds by Edelman v. Jordan, 415 U.S. 651 (1974). 22 As explained below, we decline to decide any of Currie's federal claims at this juncture, due to the pendency of the state court proceedings.