In two unexpected developments, the number of people without health insurance has dropped for the first time in seven years. The reason: More people are getting government coverage, despite the Bush administration trying to curtail certain government programs.

The numbers, released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau, show that in 2007 the uninsured were 45.7 million, or 15.3 percent of the population, down from 47 million, or 15.8 percent of the population in 2006.

The mainstay of America's health coverage, however, employer-based insurance, continued to erode -- 67.5 percent in 2007, compared to 67.9 percent in 2006.

Meanwhile, there were increases in those receiving Medicaid, the insurance for the poor, and Medicare, the insurance for the elderly.

Ron Pollock, head of the consumer group Families USA, told The Miami Herald that Medicare grew by one million people and Medicaid by 1.3 million. ``What clearly saved the day were the safety net programs. What's so remarkable about that is it comes at a time when the Bush administration has been trying to cut these programs.''

Medicaid particularly has suffered cutbacks and new measures have ''forced some states to cut back on children's health coverage,'' Pollack said.

''To put things in perspective, that 45 million uninsured is more than the combined population of 24 states plus the District of Columbia,'' Pollack said.

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