Benzodiazepine Prescribing in Alaska
Medicare Part D, 2013–2024.
Benzodiazepine prescribing in Alaska fell 12% between 2013 and 2024 — a slower fall than the country as a whole. In 2024 the state recorded 28,017 Medicare Part D benzodiazepine claims across 7,769 patients, an average of 3.61 fills per patient per year, which ranks 50 of 51 states. Clonazepam accounts for 27.5% of it.
Alaska over twelve years
Which benzodiazepines Alaska prescribes
| Drug | Claims 2024 | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Clonazepam | 7,698 | 27.5% |
| Alprazolam | 7,282 | 26% |
| Lorazepam | 7,021 | 25.1% |
| Diazepam | 4,806 | 17.2% |
| Temazepam | 745 | 2.7% |
Psychiatric prescribers in Alaska
37 psychiatric prescribers in Alaska appear in the 2024 Medicare Part D data with benzodiazepine claims. 3 of them recorded at least a 50% fall in benzodiazepine claims since 2019. Sorted by change, largest reduction first.
This is a record, not a recommendation. A fall in Medicare benzodiazepine claims has many possible explanations — a changing patient panel, retirement, a shift to another payer, or simply dropping below the threshold CMS publishes. It does not establish that a prescriber supports tapering, and a low number does not mean they will take you as a patient. Use it as one input, then ask the five vetting questions.
| Prescriber | City | 2019 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex OrtenPsychiatry | Anchorage | 244 | 23 | -90.6% |
| Merijeanne MoorePsychiatry | Anchorage | 118 | 39 | -66.9% |
| Bruce WeeksPsychiatry | Juneau | 56 | 25 | -55.4% |
| Paul TopolPsychiatry | Juneau | 188 | 128 | -31.9% |
| Natalie VelasquezNeuropsychiatry | Wasilla | 76 | 52 | -31.6% |
| David MackPsychiatry | Anchorage | 105 | 72 | -31.4% |
| Kimberly SherrillPsychiatry | Fairbanks | 188 | 132 | -29.8% |
| Mark EricksonPsychiatry & Neurology | Anchorage | 17 | 12 | -29.4% |
| Karen NiPsychiatry | Kodiak | 34 | 26 | -23.5% |
| Mikki BarkerPsychiatry | Fairbanks | 160 | 127 | -20.6% |
| Jane LarouchePsychiatry | Palmer | 151 | 120 | -20.5% |
| Carolyn RaderPsychiatry | Anchorage | 121 | 99 | -18.2% |
| Ellen HalversonPsychiatry | Palmer | 568 | 500 | -12% |
| Mark CliffordPsychiatry | Fairbanks | 123 | 133 | +8.1% |
| Wynelle SnowPsychiatry | Ketchikan | 88 | 115 | +30.7% |
| Eileen HaPsychiatry | Anchorage | 37 | 49 | +32.4% |
| Victor ChenPsychiatry | Ketchikan | 92 | 133 | +44.6% |
| Ronald PollockPsychiatry | Anchorage | 35 | 72 | +105.7% |
| Eric GarbyPsychiatry | Anchorage | 48 | 102 | +112.5% |
| Morgan LiddellPsychiatry | Fairbanks | 12 | 38 | +216.7% |
| Masao YanagidaPsychiatry | Anchorage | 29 | 104 | +258.6% |
| Matthew HuckabeePsychiatry | Anchorage | — | 198 | — |
| Gavin BryantPsychiatry | Anchorage | — | 176 | — |
| Shane RallPsychiatry & Neurology | Soldotna | — | 131 | — |
| Lucy FisherPsychiatry | Anchorage | — | 114 | — |
| Bryan CothrenPsychiatry | Ketchikan | — | 112 | — |
| Daniel RohlfPsychiatry | Fairbanks | — | 97 | — |
| Carolyn CraigPsychiatry & Neurology | Kodiak | — | 68 | — |
| An PhanPsychiatry | Anchorage | — | 56 | — |
| Deborah GurisPsychiatry | Anchorage | — | 52 | — |
| Cleve ShireyPsychiatry & Neurology | Anchorage | — | 43 | — |
| Monique SmithPsychiatry | Fairbanks | — | 42 | — |
| Sean CostelloPsychiatry & Neurology | Soldotna | — | 34 | — |
| Heidi Lopez-CoonjohnPsychiatry | Juneau | — | 13 | — |
| Howard DetwilerPsychiatry | Anchorage | — | 12 | — |
| Zachary MichelPsychiatry | Sitka | — | 12 | — |
| Michael AlcornPsychiatry | Anchorage | — | 11 | — |
Figures are reproduced from the CMS public use files without alteration. Clinicians who believe a row misstates their record can write to support@taperoffbenzos.com and we will check it against the source file and correct or remove it.
Finding a prescriber in Alaska
This data describes prescribing patterns; it does not tell you who will support a slow taper. For that, our guide to finding a benzo-wise prescriber compares every free provider directory that exists and lists the five questions that predict how a taper will go. If you already have a prescriber, the taper calculator generates a schedule to review with them.
Frequently asked questions
Is benzodiazepine prescribing rising or falling in Alaska?
It fell 12% between 2013 and 2024 in Medicare Part D — a slower fall than the country as a whole, where prescribing fell 12.9%. In 2024, Alaska recorded 28,017 benzodiazepine claims across 7,769 patients.
How does Alaska compare to other states?
Alaska ranks 50 of 51 for prescribing intensity, at 3.61 benzodiazepine fills per patient per year, and 26 of 51 for the size of its decline since 2013 (1 being the steepest fall).
Which benzodiazepine is prescribed most in Alaska?
Clonazepam, at 7,698 claims — 27.5% of the state's benzodiazepine prescribing in 2024. Next are Alprazolam (26%) and Lorazepam (25.1%).
Source
CMS Medicare Part D Prescribers public use files, data years 2013–2024 (US Government work, public domain). Medicare Part D only — it excludes commercial insurance and cash-pay, skews toward patients 65 and over, and suppresses cells of 10 or fewer claims. Full methodology and limitations are on the national page.