Employee Benefit Plans

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

Employee Benefit Plans

NOTE 13 — EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

We maintain defined contribution benefit plans that are available to employees who meet certain minimum requirements. Certain of the plans require that we match specified percentages of participant contributions up to certain maximum levels (generally, 100% of the first 3% to 9%, depending upon years of vesting service, of compensation deferred by participants). The cost of these plans totaled $444 million for 2016, $432 million for 2015 and $404 million for 2014. Our contributions are funded periodically during each year.

We maintain the noncontributory, nonqualified Restoration Plan to provide certain retirement benefits for eligible employees. Eligibility for the Restoration Plan is based upon earning eligible compensation in excess of the Social Security Wage Base and attaining 1,000 or more hours of service during the plan year. Company credits to participants’ account balances (the Restoration Plan is not funded) depend upon participants’ compensation, years of vesting service and certain IRS limitations related to the HCA 401(k) plan. Benefits expense under this plan was $20 million for 2016, $20 million for 2015 and $31 million for 2014. Accrued benefits liabilities under this plan totaled $175 million at December 31, 2016 and $164 million at December 31, 2015.

We maintain a Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (“SERP”) for certain executives (the SERP is not funded). The plan is designed to ensure that upon retirement the participant receives the value of a prescribed life annuity from the combination of the SERP and our other benefit plans. Benefits expense under the plan was $22 million for 2016, $33 million for 2015 and $31 million for 2014. Accrued benefits liabilities under this plan totaled $222 million at December 31, 2016 and $207 million at December 31, 2015.

We maintain defined benefit pension plans which resulted from certain hospital acquisitions in prior years. Benefits expense under these plans was $21 million for 2016, $25 million for 2015, and $13 million for 2014. Accrued benefits liabilities under these plans totaled $111 million at December 31, 2016 and $131 million at December 31, 2015.