9. Postretirement Benefits Other than Pensions

The Company sponsors an unfunded defined benefit postretirement health care plan for certain employees and contributes toward the cost of health insurance benefits. In order to be eligible for these postretirement benefits, an employee must retire after attainment of age 55 and completion of 15 years of service, or attainment of age 65 and completion of 10 years of service. The Company’s Benefits Trust Committee determines retiree premiums. The Company amended the plans effective December 31, 2001 such that only retirees who were receiving benefits under the plans at that time and active employees at that time whose age plus years of service totaled at least 60 and who had at least 10 years of service as of December 31, 2001 remain eligible.

The following table reconciles the change in benefit obligation of the postretirement plans to the accrued postretirement liability as reflected in other liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets at December 31 (amounts in thousands):


	2018		2017
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	3,167	$	3,214
Interest cost		96		108
Actuarial (gain) loss		(96)		264
Benefits paid		(393)		(419)
Benefit obligation at end of year	$	2,774	$	3,167

Net postretirement benefit income reflected in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations included the following components for the years ended December 31 (amounts in thousands):


	2018		2017		2016
Interest cost	$	96	$	108	$	120
Amortization of net actuarial loss		257		245		242
Amortization of prior service credit		(1,314)		(1,314)		(1,314)
Total net postretirement benefit income	$	(961)	$	(961)	$	(952)

The discount rate used to determine the benefit obligation at December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 was 3.83%, 3.15% and 3.47%, respectively. The discount rate used to determine the net postretirement benefit expense for years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 was 3.15%, 3.47% and 3.57%, respectively.

The Company expects to contribute $0.3 million to the plan in 2019. Based on the Company’s assumptions discussed above, the Company expects to make the following estimated future benefit payments under the plan during the years ending December 31 (amounts in thousands):


2019	$	326
2020		305
2021		283
2022		264
2023		245
2024 - 2028		995

The net gain, amortization of net loss and amortization of prior service credit recognized in other comprehensive income for 2018 was $0.1 million, $0.3 million, and $1.3 million, respectively. Included in accumulated other comprehensive loss at December 31, 2018 are the following amounts that have not yet been recognized in net postretirement benefit expense: unrecognized actuarial losses of $3.1 million ($1.7 million net of tax) and unrecognized prior service credits of $11.1 million ($6.1 million net of tax). The net loss, amortization of net loss and amortization of prior service credit recognized in other comprehensive income for 2017 was $0.3 million, $0.2 million, and $1.3 million, respectively. Included in accumulated other comprehensive loss at December 31, 2017 are the following amounts that have not yet been recognized in net postretirement benefit expense: unrecognized actuarial losses of $3.5 million ($1.9 million net of tax) and unrecognized prior service credits of $12.4 million ($6.9 million net of tax). The amortization of net loss and amortization of prior service credit recognized in other comprehensive income for 2016 was $0.2 million and $1.3 million, respectively.