25 big ones, and still crazy for cartoons
By Liz Beaulieu, Editor
Updated Fri December 14, 2018
It just occurred to me and Theresa this week, as we were pasting up the January issue (yes, in addition to writing 98% of all the stories that appear in the issue, we also lay it out using InDesign!), that 2019 is the 25th year that HME News has been in print.
25 big ones.
Theresa and I have been working at HME News since 2005 and 2004, respectively, so in other words, about half of the publication's life.
Looking at the front page of HME News way back in 1995 is quite a trip. Remember when HME manufacturers had high-profile spokesmen, including Don Shula for “Pridehealth” in this issue? I also remember Arnold Palmer for Invacare.
Most of the other news and companies on this front page predate me—except for Sunrise, of course—but there are a number of themes that remain relevant today: mergers and acquisitions, managed care, licensure, etc.
I started down this memory lane, because I wanted to know if we have printed cartoons in our Edit Spread section from the beginning and it turns out we have. And cartoons by the same cartoonist no less: Steve Meyers, based right here in Maine.
The cartoon for that first issue in 1995 concerned audits. No one has to “remember” those; they're still very much a problem.
I wanted to know if we've printed cartoons from the beginning, because one way Theresa and I would like to mark our 25th year of publishing is re-printing five of our favorite cartoons over the years. We already know one of them will be the cartoon of HME providers at a Christmas party, all wearing ugly sweaters, one of which reads: shrinking reimbursement. The little doc in that cartoon says, “Don we now our not-so-gay apparel.” It still cracks me up.
Maybe we'll even have a contest soliciting cartoon concepts from you, our readers, and have Steve ink it up for an issue next year. What do you think? Are Theresa and I the only ones who are crazy for these cartoons (though, let me tell you, they're easier to come up with some months than others)?
I think we're kicking off our 25th year of publishing with a pretty good cartoon in the January issue. Enjoy this sneak peek.
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