I didn’t always know I wanted to be a pharmacist. When I graduated college, my future husband — who was in pharmacy school — encouraged me to join the profession as a way to combine my passion for science with my desire to make a meaningful impact in people’s lives.

Now, after nearly two decades, I serve as a staff pharmacist at a CVS Specialty pharmacy in Phoenix. Alongside three hard-working technicians, I make sure patients with autoimmune conditions have access to the medicines they need. I couldn’t be happier with the way things turned out.

If it weren’t for dedicated pharmacy teams, patients like mine would find it significantly harder to receive the best treatment to manage their condition. That’s why I am concerned about possible legislation here in Arizona which has the potential to disrupt the patient-pharmacist relationship and make therapies more costly and less accessible.

Many of my patients are living with conditions such as psoriasis and hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), which are often treated using injectable medications. When it comes to self-administering injectable medication, many patients are understandably apprehensive. It’s my job to ease patients’ fears by explaining when and how to use the prescribed medication, as well as alert them to possible side effects.

I recall one patient — let’s call her Claire — who struggled with psoriasis, a skin condition that causes thick, red scaly patches on the skin that left her in pain and embarrassed to be seen in public. Claire was afraid of using injectable medications to treat her psoriasis and turned to my team for help.

We worked with Claire to find a medication regimen that was effective and provided her the support needed to self-administer her treatment safely and comfortably, which made her look and feel better at a price she could afford. I was so rewarded when Claire called crying happy tears that the medication was working and most importantly her quality of life improved as a result. Claire’s gratitude was a poignant reminder of how access to affordable, effective medication can be life-changing.

Beyond the clinical challenges, many of my patients are concerned about the price they pay for their medicines. Sometimes, a monthly dose of injectable drugs can cost thousands of dollars. For example, Otrexup, used to treat psoriasis in adults, is priced at almost $1,100.

Fortunately, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) like CVS Caremark step in to help keep my patients’ medications more affordable and accessible.

Legislation under consideration in Arizona, however, may hinder the ability of PBMs to keep costs under control. Some provisions contained in HB2208 could dismantle the tools and mechanisms PBMs rely on to lower the cost of prescriptions for patients like Claire.

For example, lawmakers are considering implementing a dispensing fee — a new $10.11 charge tacked onto the price of prescription drugs, which typically gets passed on to patients at the pharmacy counter.

As the prices of everyday essentials like groceries and rent keep rising and people are more mindful of their expenses, an extra $10 per prescription filled might be the tipping point in deciding whether to pick up their medication. If HB2208 is enacted, residents of Arizona may find themselves having to choose between their medications and other everyday necessities.

My goal as a pharmacist is to ensure my patients — like Claire — have access to and can afford medicine that improves their health and quality of life. That’s why I encourage Arizona’s Legislature to rethink introducing legislation that would impede PBMs’ ability to negotiate lower prescription drug costs for patients like mine.

Bonnie Shimko is a CVS Specialty pharmacist in Phoenix.