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Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans
The Company has defined benefit pension plans covering eligible employees in the U.S. and in certain of its international subsidiaries. The net periodic benefit cost of such plans (including certain costs reported as part of discontinued operations in the first nine months of 2021) consisted of the following components: 
  Three Months Ended
September 30,		Nine Months Ended
September 30,
2022202120222021
($ in millions)U.S.InternationalU.S.InternationalU.S.InternationalU.S.International
Service cost$91 $66 $104 $75 $289 $213 $302 $254 
Interest cost123 35 102 33 330 110 305 92 
Expected return on plan assets(182)(93)(188)(105)(576)(292)(568)(313)
Amortization of unrecognized prior service credit
(8)(3)(9)(3)(24)(10)(29)(12)
Net loss amortization10 24 75 32 122 73 218 110 
Termination benefits1 — 2 — 2 1 54 3 
Curtailments3 — (1)— 11 — 15 (27)
Settlements79 — 139 — 180 — 139 2 
 $117 $29 $224 $32 $334 $95 $436 $109 
The Company provides medical benefits, principally to its eligible U.S. retirees and similar benefits to their dependents, through its other postretirement benefit plans. The net credit of such plans consisted of the following components: 
  Three Months Ended
September 30,		Nine Months Ended
September 30,
($ in millions)2022202120222021
Service cost$11 $11 $36 $37 
Interest cost11 12 34 34 
Expected return on plan assets(21)(20)(64)(59)
Amortization of unrecognized prior service credit(14)(16)(42)(48)
Net gain amortization(11)(12)(32)(30)
Termination benefits— — — 37 
Curtailments— (1)(1)(29)
 $(24)$(26)$(69)$(58)
Net periodic benefit cost (credit) for pension and other postretirement benefit plans in the first nine months of 2021 includes expenses for curtailments, settlements and termination benefits provided to certain employees in connection with the spin-off of Organon.
In connection with restructuring actions (see Note 5), termination charges were recorded on pension plans related to expanded eligibility for certain employees exiting Merck. Also, in connection with these restructuring activities, curtailments and settlements were recorded on certain pension plans. In addition, lump sum payments to U.S. pension plan participants triggered partial settlement charges in the third quarter and first nine months of 2022 and 2021. These partial settlements triggered remeasurements of some of the Company’s U.S. pension plans. The third quarter 2022 remeasurement, which was calculated using discount rates and asset values as of September 30, 2022, resulted in a net increase of $296 million to net pension liabilities and also resulted in a related adjustment to AOCL. Remeasurements during the first nine months of 2022 have resulted in a net increase of $131 million to net pension liabilities with related adjustments to AOCL.
The components of net periodic benefit cost (credit) other than the service cost component are included in Other (income) expense, net (see Note 12), with the exception of certain amounts for termination benefits, curtailments and settlements, which are recorded in Restructuring costs if the event giving rise to the termination benefits, curtailment or settlement is related to restructuring actions or in Income from Discontinued Operations, Net of Taxes and Amounts Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests if related to the spin-off of Organon (each as noted above).