SALEM, Oregon — A U.S. judge in Oregon said Tuesday he intends to at least partially block a rule change by President Donald Trump's administration that could cut off federal funding for providers who refer patients for an abortion, though the scope of his decision remains to be seen.

U.S. District Judge Michael McShane made the comments after more than three hours of arguments in a lawsuit brought by 20 states and the District of Columbia, The Oregonian reported. The states said the rule change, which takes effect May 3, is an attack on Planned Parenthood and a violation of the Affordable Care Act.

Under the Trump administration's new policy, health care providers that receive federal funding would be barred from referring patients for an abortion. Programs that receive the money would also have to be in a separate physical space from facilities where abortion is performed.

'At the heart of these rules is an arrogant assumption that the government is better suited to direct women's health care than their providers,' Oregon Public Broadcasting quoted the judge as saying.