NOTE 13. POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS
We sponsor a number of pension and retiree health and life insurance benefit plans. Principal pension plans are the GE Pension Plan and the GE Supplementary Pension Plan. Principal retiree benefit plans provide health and life insurance benefits to certain eligible participants and these participants share in the cost of the healthcare benefits. Other pension plans include the U.S. and non-U.S. pension plans with pension assets or obligations greater than $50 million. Smaller pension plans and other retiree benefit plans are not material individually or in the aggregate. | | | | | | | | | | EFFECT ON OPERATIONS OF PENSION PLANS | | | | | | Principal pension plans | | | Three months ended March 31 | | (In millions) | 2018 |
| | 2017 |
| | | | | | | Service cost for benefits earned | $ | 232 |
| | $ | 289 |
| | Prior service cost amortization | 36 |
| | 73 |
| | Expected return on plan assets | (820 | ) | | (849 | ) | | Interest cost on benefit obligations | 666 |
| | 717 |
| | Net actuarial loss amortization | 951 |
| | 710 |
| | Curtailment loss | — |
| | 43 |
| (a) | Pension plans cost | $ | 1,065 |
| | $ | 983 |
| |
| | (a) | Curtailment loss resulting from our intent to sell the Industrial Solutions business within our Power segment. |
| | | | | | | | | | | Other pension plans | | | Three months ended March 31 | | (In millions) | 2018 | | 2017 | | | | | | | Service cost for benefits earned | $ | 95 |
| | $ | 151 |
| | Prior service credit amortization | — |
| | (1 | ) | | Expected return on plan assets | (358 | ) | | (294 | ) | | Interest cost on benefit obligations | 156 |
| | 142 |
| | Net actuarial loss amortization | 82 |
| | 103 |
| | Pension plans cost (income) | $ | (25 | ) | | $ | 101 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | EFFECT ON OPERATIONS OF PRINCIPAL RETIREE BENEFIT PLANS | | | | | | Principal retiree benefit plans | | | Three months ended March 31 | | (In millions) | 2018 |
| | 2017 |
| | | | | | | Service cost for benefits earned | $ | 13 |
| | $ | 26 |
| | Prior service credit amortization | (56 | ) | | (43 | ) | | Expected return on plan assets | (7 | ) | | (9 | ) | | Interest cost on benefit obligations | 49 |
| | 57 |
| | Net actuarial gain amortization | (20 | ) | | (21 | ) | | Curtailment loss | — |
| | 3 |
| (a) | Retiree benefit plans cost (income) | $ | (21 | ) | | $ | 13 |
| |
| | (a) | Curtailment loss resulting from our intent to sell the Industrial Solutions business within our Power segment. |
The components of net periodic benefit costs other than the service cost component are included in the line item "non-operating benefit costs" in our consolidated Statement of Earnings (Loss).
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