BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal’s administration scrapped plans Wednesday to shutter the state’s Medicaid hospice program in February, meaning the state will continue to provide end-of-life care to people on their death beds who can’t afford private insurance.

Jindal’s health secretary Bruce Greenstein made the announcement as hospice program supporters were gathering for a vigil on the state capitol steps to protest the cut. Greenstein said his department will use grant funding to cover the costs this year.