Postretirement Benefits Other Than Pensions (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

The reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of the projected benefit obligation and the fair value of plan assets for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, and the funded status of the plans at December 31, 2018 and 2017 are as follows:



	December 31
	2018			2017
	(In thousands)
Change in benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	349,784		$	338,733
Service cost	2,928			3,007
Interest cost	11,311			11,709
Plan amendments	—			1,233
Actuarial (gain) loss	(26,820		)	19,921
Benefits paid	(23,105		)	(24,819		)
Benefit obligation at end of year	314,098			349,784
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	344,760			282,183
Actual return (loss) on plan assets	(23,276		)	48,038
Employer contributions	829			39,358
Benefits paid	(23,105		)	(24,819		)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	299,208			344,760
Funded status at end of year	$	(14,890	)	$	(5,024	)

The following table sets forth the funded status of these plans:



	December 31
	2018			2017
	(In thousands)
Change in benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	31,866		$	30,122
Service cost	679			586
Interest cost	941			960
Employee contributions	316			256
Actuarial (gain) loss	(1,959		)	1,622
Benefits paid	(1,929		)	(1,680		)
Benefit obligation at end of year	29,914			31,866
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	—			—
Funded status	$	(29,914	)	$	(31,866	)

Schedule of Actuarial Assumptions Used to Determine Benefit Obligations

A summary of our key actuarial assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost follows:



	Year Ended December 31
	2018		2017		2016
Healthcare inflation:
Healthcare cost trend rate assumed for next year	6.72	%	7.00	%	7.27	%
Rate to which the cost trend rate is assumed to decline (ultimate trend rate)	4.50	%	4.50	%	4.50	%
Year of ultimate rate achievement	2038		2038		2038
Effective discount rate for benefit obligations	3.53	%	3.97	%	4.27	%
Effective rate for interest on benefit obligations	3.16	%	3.32	%	3.52	%
Effective discount rate for service cost	3.77	%	4.44	%	4.68	%
Effective rate for interest on service cost	3.59	%	4.08	%	4.37	%

A summary of our key actuarial assumptions used to determine the benefit obligation as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 follows:



	December 31
	2018		2017
Healthcare inflation:
Healthcare cost trend rate assumed for next year	6.43	%	6.72	%
Rate to which the cost trend rate is assumed to decline (ultimate trend rate)	4.50	%	4.50	%
Year of ultimate rate achievement	2038		2038
Weighted average discount rate	4.26	%	3.53	%

Schedule of Net Periodic Benefit Cost



	Year Ended December 31
	2018			2017			2016
	(In thousands)
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	$	2,928		$	3,007		$	3,173
Interest cost	11,311			11,709			12,171
Expected return on plan assets	(17,644		)	(19,030		)	(18,531		)
Amortizations:
Prior service cost	431			706			857
Unrecognized net loss	8,521			10,325			8,822
Effect of settlement	—			—			313
Net periodic benefit cost	$	5,547		$	6,717		$	6,805



	Year Ended December 31
	2018			2017			2016
	(In thousands)
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
Service and interest cost	$	1,620		$	1,545		$	1,725
Amortizations:
Prior service cost	92			92			92
Unrecognized net (gain) loss	(472		)	(457		)	(245		)
Net periodic benefit cost	$	1,240		$	1,180		$	1,572

Schedule of Effects of One Percent Change in Assumed Health Care Cost Trend Rates

A one percent change in assumed health care cost trend rates would have the following effects:



	1-Percentage- Point Increase		1-Percentage- Point Decrease
	(In thousands)
Effect on total of service and interest cost components	$	220	$	(181	)
Effect on postretirement obligation	1,956		(3,358		)

Schedule of Estimated Pension Plan Benefit Payments to Participants for Next Ten Years

Estimated pension plan benefit payments to participants for the next ten years are as follows:



2019	$	18.0	million
2020	18.3		million
2021	19.0		million
2022	19.8		million
2023	20.1		million
Next five years	103.1		million

Estimated postretirement health care plan benefit payments for the next ten years are as follows:



2019	$	2.4	million
2020	2.4		million
2021	2.3		million
2022	2.3		million
2023	2.2		million
Next five years	10.9		million