pre_text: mastercard incorporated notes to consolidated financial statements 2014 ( continued ) ( in thousands , except percent and per share data ) the company does not make any contributions to its postretirement plan other than funding benefits payments . the following table summarizes expected net benefit payments from the company 2019s general assets through 2018 : benefit payments expected subsidy receipts benefit payments .
post_text: the company provides limited postemployment benefits to eligible former u.s . employees , primarily severance under a formal severance plan ( the 201cseverance plan 201d ) . the company accounts for severance expense in accordance with sfas no . 112 , 201cemployers 2019 accounting for postemployment benefits 201d by accruing the expected cost of the severance benefits expected to be provided to former employees after employment over their relevant service periods . the company updates the assumptions in determining the severance accrual by evaluating the actual severance activity and long-term trends underlying the assumptions . as a result of updating the assumptions , the company recorded severance expense ( benefit ) related to the severance plan of $ 2643 , $ ( 3418 ) and $ 8400 , respectively , during the years 2008 , 2007 and 2006 . the company has an accrued liability related to the severance plan and other severance obligations in the amount of $ 63863 and $ 56172 at december 31 , 2008 and 2007 , respectively . note 13 . debt on april 28 , 2008 , the company extended its committed unsecured revolving credit facility , dated as of april 28 , 2006 ( the 201ccredit facility 201d ) , for an additional year . the new expiration date of the credit facility is april 26 , 2011 . the available funding under the credit facility will remain at $ 2500000 through april 27 , 2010 and then decrease to $ 2000000 during the final year of the credit facility agreement . other terms and conditions in the credit facility remain unchanged . the company 2019s option to request that each lender under the credit facility extend its commitment was provided pursuant to the original terms of the credit facility agreement . borrowings under the facility are available to provide liquidity in the event of one or more settlement failures by mastercard international customers and , subject to a limit of $ 500000 , for general corporate purposes . a facility fee of 8 basis points on the total commitment , or approximately $ 2030 , is paid annually . interest on borrowings under the credit facility would be charged at the london interbank offered rate ( libor ) plus an applicable margin of 37 basis points or an alternative base rate , and a utilization fee of 10 basis points would be charged if outstanding borrowings under the facility exceed 50% ( 50 % ) of commitments . the facility fee and borrowing cost are contingent upon the company 2019s credit rating . the company also agreed to pay upfront fees of $ 1250 and administrative fees of $ 325 for the credit facility which are being amortized straight- line over three years . facility and other fees associated with the credit facility or prior facilities totaled $ 2353 , $ 2477 and $ 2717 for each of the years ended december 31 , 2008 , 2007 and 2006 , respectively . mastercard was in compliance with the covenants of the credit facility and had no borrowings under the credit facility at december 31 , 2008 or december 31 , 2007 . the majority of credit facility lenders are customers or affiliates of customers of mastercard international . in june 1998 , mastercard international issued ten-year unsecured , subordinated notes ( the 201cnotes 201d ) paying a fixed interest rate of 6.67% ( 6.67 % ) per annum . mastercard repaid the entire principal amount of $ 80000 on june 30 .
table: Benefit Payments Expected Subsidy Receipts Net Benefit Payments
table: 2009 $2,641 $77 $2,564
table: 2010 3,139 91 3,048
table: 2011 3,561 115 3,446
table: 2012 3,994 140 3,854
table: 2013 4,357 169 4,188
table: 2014 – 2018 25,807 1,269 24,538
question: Analyse this data from a financial earnings document. what is the variation observed in the net benefit payments during 2012 and 2011?