12.Employee Benefit Obligations

	September 30,			December 31,
($ in millions)	2015			2014

Underfunded defined benefit pension liabilities, net	$	715.8		$	724.1
Less current portion and prepaid pension assets	(17.2		)	(19.4		)

Long-term defined benefit pension liabilities	698.6			704.7
Retiree medical and other postemployment benefits	172.2			169.0
Deferred compensation plans	260.1			272.2
Other	28.6			32.4

	$	1,159.5		$	1,178.3

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

	Three Months Ended September 30,
	2015									2014
($ in millions)	U.S.			Foreign			Total			U.S.			Foreign			Total

Ball-sponsored plans:
Service cost	$	13.0		$	3.7		$	16.7		$	11.5		$	3.1		$	14.6
Interest cost	14.4			4.6			19.0			15.6			6.5			22.1
Expected return on plan assets	(19.8		)	(4.9		)	(24.7		)	(20.6		)	(4.2		)	(24.8		)
Amortization of prior service cost	(0.3		)	(0.1		)	(0.4		)	—			(0.2		)	(0.2		)
Recognized net actuarial loss	9.7			2.3			12.0			7.2			2.0			9.2
Curtailment and settlement losses	5.3						5.3			—			—			—

Net periodic benefit cost for Ball-sponsored plans	22.3			5.6			27.9			13.7			7.2			20.9
Net periodic benefit cost for multiemployer plans	—			—			—			0.7			—			0.7


Total net periodic benefit cost	$	22.3		$	5.6		$	27.9		$	14.4		$	7.2		$	21.6

	Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2015									2014
($ in millions)	U.S.			Foreign			Total			U.S.			Foreign			Total

Ball-sponsored plans:
Service cost	$	39.0		$	11.2		$	50.2		$	34.3		$	10.2		$	44.5
Interest cost	42.9			13.8			56.7			46.8			19.6			66.4
Expected return on plan assets	(59.4		)	(14.8		)	(74.2		)	(61.6		)	(12.9		)	(74.5		)
Amortization of prior service cost	(0.8		)	(0.3		)	(1.1		)	—			(0.4		)	(0.4		)
Recognized net actuarial loss	29.3			7.0			36.3			21.6			6.2			27.8
Curtailment and settlement losses	5.3			—			5.3			—			—			—

Net periodic benefit cost for Ball-sponsored plans	56.3			16.9			73.2			41.1			22.7			63.8
Net periodic benefit cost for multiemployer plans	1.0			—			1.0			2.0			—			2.0

Total net periodic benefit cost	$	57.3		$	16.9		$	74.2		$	43.1		$	22.7		$	65.8

Contributions to the company’s defined global benefit pension plans, not including the unfunded German plans, were insignificant in the first nine months of 2015 ($83.6 million in 2014) and are also expected to be insignificant for the full year. This estimate may change based on changes in the U.S. Pension Protection Act and actual plan asset performance, among other factors. Payments to participants in the unfunded German plans were $13.7 million in the first nine months of 2015 and are expected to be approximately $19 million for the full year.