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Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans
The Company has defined benefit pension plans covering eligible employees in the United States and in certain of its international subsidiaries. The net periodic benefit cost of such plans consisted of the following components: 
  
Three Months Ended 
 March 31,
 
2020
 
2019
($ in millions)
U.S.
 
International
 
U.S.
 
International
Service cost
$
86

 
$
74

 
$
71

 
$
60

Interest cost
109

 
34

 
114

 
45

Expected return on plan assets
(194
)
 
(103
)
 
(206
)
 
(108
)
Amortization of unrecognized prior service credit
(12
)
 
(3
)
 
(12
)
 
(3
)
Net loss amortization
75

 
31

 
35

 
16

Termination benefits
3

 
1

 
2

 
—

Curtailments
2

 
(1
)
 
—

 
—

 
$
69


$
33


$
4


$
10

The Company provides medical benefits, principally to its eligible U.S. retirees and similar benefits to their dependents, through its other postretirement benefit plans. The net credit of such plans consisted of the following components: 
  
Three Months Ended 
 March 31,
($ in millions)
2020
 
2019
Service cost
$
13

 
$
12

Interest cost
14

 
17

Expected return on plan assets
(19
)
 
(18
)
Amortization of unrecognized prior service credit
(22
)
 
(21
)
 
$
(14
)
 
$
(10
)

In connection with restructuring actions (see Note 4), termination charges were recorded on pension plans related to expanded eligibility for certain employees exiting Merck. Also, in connection with these restructuring actions, curtailments were recorded on pension plans as reflected in the tables above.
The components of net periodic benefit cost (credit) other than the service cost component are included in Other (income) expense, net (see Note 11), with the exception of certain amounts for termination benefits and curtailments, which are recorded in Restructuring costs if the event giving rise to the termination benefits or curtailment is related to restructuring actions as noted above.