High costs for individual health insurance programs have made many people worry about how they can afford adequate coverage. This holds true especially for those who want to retire early, but are over the age of 55.

Fortunately, financial assistance will be available for early retirees who are not eligible for Medicare yet. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently approved approximately 2,000 employers and unions to receive funds under the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program.

"In these tough economic times, it is difficult for employers to keep up with skyrocketing health care costs for employees and retirees," said HHS secretary Kathleen Sebelius. "Many Americans who retire before they are eligible for Medicare see their life savings disappear because of medical bills and exorbitant rates in the individual health insurance market."

Older Americans typically end up paying more for health insurance because they are considered a bigger liability to insure. Starting in 2014, health insurance exchanges are slated to be available for people to get individual health insurance quotes and coverage along with other valuable information.

Many states are struggling to manage their budgets, especially with increased expenses from the Affordable Care Act and being required to offer health insurance coverage to a growing number of people. Recently, the National Alliance on Mental Illness raised concerns over mental health care cuts.

According to a study released by the Urban Institute, more than 50 percent of babies born into poverty have a mother suffering from depression. Of those, more than 70 percent fail to get appropriate treatment.

"During a time of national economic distress and severe budget cuts in mental health services, the Urban Institute study raises concern about the urgency of the needs of women and children," said NAMI executive director Michael Fitzpatrick.

Obtaining mental health services is crucial not just so a mother feels better, but for her children's benefit as well. A report from the Connecticut Commission on Children cites results from the CalWORKS Project as finding children under the age of six are at an increased risk of being homeless and ending up in foster care if their parents were poor and had depression.

Health insurance has been in the minds of many people of late. With healthcare regulation still taking place, many companies and employees are interested in how their costs match up to others.

The bi-annual South Carolina Employer Benefits Survey by Rosenfeld Einstein reveals that South Carolina's PPO plan premiums average $389 for individual plans compared to $410 nationally.

Data from the survey also reveals that those in South Carolina are taking the reins when it comes to controlling their healthcare needs. Almost half of the companies surveyed said they offered consumer-directed healthcare plans.

The large number of employers responding to the survey help provide more insight into health expense trends.

"The record participation from nearly 200 businesses representing over 52,000 employees and dozens of industries is highly significant," said Rosenfeld Einstein principal Howard Einstein. "These findings provide actionable, current information to guide future benefits planning decisions."

Nationwide, healthcare costs have consistently increased year after year. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, healthcare spending in 2008 was $7,681 per person. The rate of funds spent per resident in the U.S. is one of the highest of any industrial country, says the KFF.