health care cost trend rate

ASC 965-205 (indexed here as 205-965) prescribes the financial statement presentation for health and welfare benefit plans. Defined benefit plans must present, on the accrual basis, a statement of net assets available for benefits, a statement of changes in net assets available for benefits, information about the plan's benefit obligations, and the significant factors causing year-to-year changes in those obligations; defined contribution plans present only the two net-asset statements because the obligation is limited to participants' account balances. It also governs how retiree health benefits funded through a 401(h) account in the sponsor's defined benefit pension plan are reported in the health and welfare plan's financial statements, plus an extensive list of required note disclosures.

ASC 715-60 governs an employer's accounting for single-employer defined benefit postretirement benefit plans other than pensions (OPEB)—chiefly retiree health care, but also retiree life insurance, tuition, day care, legal services and housing subsidies. The employer must recognize the funded status of each plan (fair value of plan assets less the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation) on the balance sheet, attribute the expected postretirement benefit obligation ratably over an attribution period ending at the full eligibility date, and recognize net periodic postretirement benefit cost with delayed recognition of prior service cost, gains/losses, and any transition obligation through other comprehensive income. Separate Subsections address the Medicare Part D subsidy, settlements/curtailments/termination benefits, and split-dollar life insurance arrangements.