A judge has denied a Texas request to prevent the federal Health and Human Services Department from cutting off funding for the Texas Women's Health Program.
U.S. District Judge Walter Smith in Waco on Friday denied the state's motion for a preliminary injunction. Without it, Medicaid funding for the state program that provides cancer screenings and other services to 130,000 low-income women will likely expire Dec. 31.
State lawmakers want Planned Parenthood removed from the program and have banned any clinic affiliated with abortion providers from taking part. Federal officials have responded by denying Medicaid funding for the program.
A state health commission spokeswoman said Friday that an entirely state-funded version of the program will go forward without Planned Parenthood at the start of next year.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.