Impact of National Health Insurance and Socioeconomic Disparities on Newborn Hearing Screening Performance in South Korea: A Nationwide Population-Based Evaluation

Objectives This study aimed to assess the impact of national health insurance coverage on newborn hearing screening (NHS) outcomes by analyzing hearing questionnaires from the National Infant Health Check-up Program (NIHCP) in South Korea. Methods This study evaluated the performance and referral rates of NHS using nationwide data from 814,875 infants enrolled in the 4-month NIHCP from January 2017 to December 2019. This period encompasses the periods before and after the National Health Insurance in South Korea began covering NHS expenses in October 2018. The study also investigated household income levels to determine their relationship with participation in the NIHCP and NHS outcomes. Results The performance of NIHCP increased year-on-year, with NHS performance rates increasing from 88.5% in 2017 to 91.5% in 2019. Analysis by household income level revealed that the medical benefit recipients’ group had the lowest NHS performance rate of 81.9% in 2019, whereas that of the higher income level group exceeded 90%. The NHS referral rate remained consistent at 0.9% nationally during the study period. Conclusion The inclusion of NHS in national insurance coverage positively influenced its performance rates across South Korea. Nevertheless, the data indicate the need for more focused and customized support for low-income families to enhance early hearing detection and interventions in newborns and infants.