Just when you thought it might be safe to peek your head back into the world of economic reports, it has hit the wire that American families will be shelling out an average of $16,771 this year for healthcare costs. That's a new record, up $1,162 per family.

It's a vicious cycle -- hospitals, doctors, drug companies and others are hiking their rates to fight the recession. In turn, many companies, in an attempt to cut costs, have cut back on the amount they'll pay as benefits, putting the burden on the employees.

Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) is insuring more of its workers. It does not seem to want to advertise that fact, but it is true nonetheless. According to The New York Times, "Wal-Mart, the nation's largest private employer, provides insurance to 100,000 more workers than it did just three years ago -- and it is now easier for many to sign up for health care at Wal-Mart than at its rival Target (NYSE:TGT), whose reputation glows in comparison."

The world's largest retailer is still offering less than half of its US workers healthcare benefits. The company plans more improvements with all workers being able to pick from a group of different plans by next year.

The move does not come without some potential risk for shareholders. Wal-Mart's margins in the US are already pinched by slow same-store sales, high fuel costs, and a slowing economy. While insuring more people may be the right thing to do, over time it may not help the firm's share price.

Being a Wal-Mart worker may be getting better than being an investor.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com

Ford (NYSE: F) does not want to miss its financial targets, no matter what. The car maker's recovery is now backed by the hope that current negotiations with the UAW will go well. The talks may lead to a new benefit pool, funded by the Big Three and run by the union. This would take billions of dollars in employee liabilities off Ford's balance sheet.

But, Ford faces a growing economic headwind. With home prices falling, consumer credit debt rising, and oil above $81, the old US auto firm may not get enough financial traction from UAW concessions. As one Ford senior executive put it to The Wall Street Journal [subscription required] "If we see weakness on the revenue side, we have to take up the slack on the cost side."

But at a company that has already slashed tens of thousands of jobs and closed plants, where are the extra cuts? Ford believes that its market share in the US will level out at about 13% and it has to "right size" its costs to make money at that sales level.

Ford can't articulate where another set of cuts might come from because there may not be much left to cut. It has already squeezed suppliers. A number of the largest auto parts companies are already in Chapter 11. It has laid off a large number of its white collar workers. If it could have taken out more, Wall Street would expect that would have happened.

There simply may not be much more left to cut at Ford, And, if a recession comes that could become a very big problem.

Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 247wallst.com.