Did it blow for you too?
- 24 Apr, 2025
A few years ago, my doctor prescribed Ubrelvy for my migraines. If you’ve ever had a migraine — I mean the close-the-curtains, can’t-function, two-day-wipeout kind — you know how life-disrupting they can be.
Ubrelvy changed everything. I take a pill when a migraine starts, and within an hour? It’s like nothing happened. No pain. No brain fog. No lost productivity. Just… back to life.
Then I ran out.
No problem, right? Time for a refill. Except my pharmacist told me I now needed pre-approval from my insurance provider, IBX.
Ah yes, the sacred tradition of phone tag begins — me, the pharmacy, my doctor’s office — each tossing the responsibility back and forth like a hot potato. Eventually, someone cracks the code: IBX has changed its policy. To keep using the same medication that’s already been working, I now have to see a neurologist or headache specialist.
Just to recap: Same drug. Same dosage. No issues. But now I have to schedule a specialist appointment (wait time: unknown) just to keep my migraines at bay.
My doctor suggests I call IBX to learn more or request their formulary. I do.
And the number they give me?
1-844-BLUE-4ME
Yep. “Blue for me.”
IBX, I have to hand it to you — this experience absolutely blew for me.
⸻
When systems forget the people
This isn’t just a vent. It’s a real-world example of what broken customer experience looks like:
- Changing requirements with no proactive communication.
- Forcing users to navigate opaque systems.
- Placing the burden of resolution on the person least equipped to handle it (you know, the one in pain).
It’s easy to focus on internal metrics, policy compliance, or “cost containment.” But every time we create friction in someone’s experience — especially in healthcare — we’re sending a signal:
“You’re not the priority. The system is.”
Great customer experience isn’t about delight at every turn. It’s about empathy. Clarity. Support when it matters most.
And if we’re being honest? Sometimes it’s just about not making things worse.
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