13. Employee Benefit Obligations


	March 31,		December 31,
($ in millions)	2017		2016

Underfunded defined benefit pension liabilities	$	969	$	963
Less current portion		(21)		(25)
Long-term defined benefit pension liabilities		948		938
Retiree medical and other postemployment benefits		219		226
Deferred compensation plans		261		272
Other		59		61
	$	1,487	$	1,497

Components of net periodic benefit cost associated with the company’s defined benefit pension plans were:


	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2017						2016
($ in millions)	U.S.		Foreign		Total		U.S.		Foreign		Total

Ball-sponsored plans:
Service cost	$	12	$	4	$	16	$	12	$	3	$	15
Interest cost		33		22		55		15		5		20
Expected return on plan assets		(33)		(26)		(59)		(18)		(5)		(23)
Recognized net actuarial loss		9		1		10		8		1		9
Net periodic benefit cost for Ball sponsored plans		21		1		22		17		4		21
Net periodic benefit cost for multi-employer plans		1		—		1		—		—		—
Total net periodic benefit cost	$	22	$	1	$	23	$	17	$	4	$	21

Contributions to the company’s defined benefit pension plans, not including unfunded German, Swedish and certain U.S. plans, were $8 million in the first three months of 2017 compared to $20 million in the first three months of 2016, and are expected to be in the range of $190 million for the full year of 2017. This estimate may change based on any changes to the U.S. Pension Protection Act and actual plan asset performance, among other factors. Included in the contributions during the first three months of 2017 were contributions to acquired Rexam defined benefit pension plans. Payments to participants in the unfunded German, Swedish and certain U.S. plans were $6 million in the first three months of 2017 and are expected to be approximately $20 million for the full year of 2017.