“Where It Hurts” is a new podcast from KFF’s Kaiser Health News (KHN) and St. Louis Public Radio that explores painful cracks in America’s health system that leave millions without the health care they need.

Season One, called “No Mercy,” debuts on Sept. 29 and tells the story of what happened in Fort Scott, Kansas, when the rural town’s 132-year-old Mercy Hospital closed due to financial difficulties.  KHN Senior Correspondent Sarah Jane Tribble, who grew up on 10-acres about an hour from Fort Scott, spent more than a year reporting from the town, where locals lost vital health care, workers lost well-paying jobs and the community’s sense of identity wavered. Among the topics Tribble explores is the question of whether every community needs a hospital.

Members of the news media may request an embargoed copy of the first episode of Season One: “No Mercy” by filling out the form below. In doing so, you agree to respect the embargo, which expires at 6 a.m. Eastern/5 a.m. Central on Tuesday, September 29, 2020.

New episodes will be released weekly through Nov. 10, and will be available on major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and NPR One. Find more information at whereithurts.show