Benzodiazepine Prescribing in California
Medicare Part D, 2013–2024.
Benzodiazepine prescribing in California fell 29.3% between 2013 and 2024 — a steeper fall than the country as a whole. In 2024 the state recorded 2,377,297 Medicare Part D benzodiazepine claims across 562,309 patients, an average of 4.23 fills per patient per year, which ranks 40 of 51 states. Lorazepam accounts for 31.6% of it.
2,377,297
Claims, 2024
562,309
Patients, 2024
4.23
Fills per patient
-29.3%
Since 2013
California over twelve years
Which benzodiazepines California prescribes
| Drug | Claims 2024 | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Lorazepam | 750,198 | 31.6% |
| Alprazolam | 708,666 | 29.8% |
| Clonazepam | 483,451 | 20.3% |
| Temazepam | 204,624 | 8.6% |
| Diazepam | 198,291 | 8.3% |
Psychiatric prescribers in California
2,837 psychiatric prescribers in California appear in the 2024 Medicare Part D data with benzodiazepine claims. 407 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas CurtisPsychiatry & Neurology | Van Nuys | 809 | 12 | -98.5% |
| Delia Nieves-ArveloPsychiatry | El Cajon | 888 | 16 | -98.2% |
| Robert TrichterPsychiatry | Culver City | 623 | 13 | -97.9% |
| Evan TzakisPsychiatry | Riverside | 506 | 12 | -97.6% |
| Sandra SchankPsychiatry | Sacremento | 457 | 11 | -97.6% |
| Edgar Castillo-ArmasPsychiatry | Fresno | 956 | 28 | -97.1% |
| Melchor MercadoPsychiatry | Modesto | 634 | 22 | -96.5% |
| Gabrielle BeaubrunPsychiatry | Harbor City | 359 | 13 | -96.4% |
| Alan RuttenbergPsychiatry | Canoga Park | 1,270 | 49 | -96.1% |
| Michael GolderPsychiatry | Glendale | 1,053 | 42 | -96% |
| Renee LuburicPsychiatry | Richmond | 336 | 14 | -95.8% |
| Norma AguilarPsychiatry | Compton | 817 | 36 | -95.6% |
| Jamie GarciaPsychiatry | Whittier | 306 | 14 | -95.4% |
| Lynne PappasPsychiatry | Paradise | 748 | 35 | -95.3% |
| Prakashchandra PatelPsychiatry | Hemet | 888 | 43 | -95.2% |
| Andrew MittonPsychiatry | Downey | 226 | 11 | -95.1% |
| Jeffery KahnPsychiatry | Sacramento | 443 | 22 | -95% |
| Rosben GutierrezPsychiatry | Poway | 273 | 14 | -94.9% |
| Rahima AfghanPsychiatry | Murrieta | 1,467 | 78 | -94.7% |
| Suryabanu JaveedPsychiatry | Stockton | 235 | 13 | -94.5% |
| Romeo MarianoPsychiatry | Monterey | 918 | 56 | -93.9% |
| John GarrattPsychiatry | Comptche | 198 | 12 | -93.9% |
| John CervantesPsychiatry & Neurology | Santa Barbara | 177 | 11 | -93.8% |
| Pantea FarhadiPsychiatry | Los Angeles | 214 | 14 | -93.5% |
| Alberta SamuelsonPsychiatry | Torrance | 186 | 12 | -93.5% |
| Ronald PodellPsychiatry | Los Angeles | 169 | 11 | -93.5% |
| Maria LonghitanoPsychiatry | Pacoima | 242 | 16 | -93.4% |
| Brendan SchererPsychiatry | San Mateo | 211 | 14 | -93.4% |
| Valerie HermanPsychiatry | Redwood City | 180 | 12 | -93.3% |
| Patrick NolanPsychiatry | Mare Island | 177 | 12 | -93.2% |
| Neal JacobiPsychiatry | San Jose | 837 | 61 | -92.7% |
| Noorulain AqeelPsychiatry | Napa | 147 | 11 | -92.5% |
| Eduardo Lopez-GibsonPsychiatry | San Diego | 408 | 31 | -92.4% |
| Oscar RosasPsychiatry & Neurology | La Canada | 158 | 12 | -92.4% |
| Katherine YarboroughPsychiatry | Santa Cruz | 311 | 24 | -92.3% |
| David SmithPsychiatry | Sacramento | 1,220 | 95 | -92.2% |
| Cyrus NasserianPsychiatry | Glendora | 384 | 31 | -91.9% |
| Pachida LoPsychiatry | Sacramento | 148 | 12 | -91.9% |
| Mitchell GalerkinPsychiatry & Neurology | Roseville | 483 | 40 | -91.7% |
| Jeremy ErnstPsychiatry | Cameron Park | 206 | 18 | -91.3% |
| Sambin WangPsychiatry | Glendora | 457 | 40 | -91.2% |
| Moeiz KhankhanianPsychiatry | West Covina | 506 | 45 | -91.1% |
| Michael EssexPsychiatry & Neurology | San Diego | 188 | 17 | -91% |
| Pranav ShahPsychiatry | Anaheim | 156 | 14 | -91% |
| Homer RamseyPsychiatry | Yucca Valley | 286 | 26 | -90.9% |
| Jagmeet ChannPsychiatry | Fresno | 472 | 44 | -90.7% |
| Dennis CoffeePsychiatry | San Pedro | 576 | 54 | -90.6% |
| Julianne Van SchoorNeuropsychiatry | Healdsburg | 135 | 13 | -90.4% |
| Sondra ZentnerPsychiatry | Redwood City | 455 | 44 | -90.3% |
| Michael LukowskiPsychiatry | Loma Linda | 121 | 12 | -90.1% |
| Mark SimondsPsychiatry | Mission Hills | 849 | 87 | -89.8% |
| Olga SegalPsychiatry | Kelseyville | 595 | 62 | -89.6% |
| David PowlesPsychiatry & Neurology | San Luis Obispo | 104 | 11 | -89.4% |
| Fred BergePsychiatry | Santa Barbara | 137 | 15 | -89.1% |
| Dave AuluckPsychiatry | Napa | 228 | 26 | -88.6% |
| Mona TrivediPsychiatry | Union City | 242 | 28 | -88.4% |
| Nicole PoliquinPsychiatry & Neurology | Los Angeles | 95 | 11 | -88.4% |
| Rafael Perez-EspejoPsychiatry | San Francisco | 184 | 22 | -88% |
| Fay AzadPsychiatry | Westlake Village | 104 | 13 | -87.5% |
| Jennifer NagodePsychiatry & Neurology | San Diego | 86 | 11 | -87.2% |
| Kimberly LloydPsychiatry | Santa Ana | 123 | 16 | -87% |
| Ricki-Leigh BramptonPsychiatry | Morgan Hill | 409 | 54 | -86.8% |
| Eric DrimmerPsychiatry & Neurology | Escondido | 120 | 16 | -86.7% |
| Marc AbramsonPsychiatry | Menlo Park | 97 | 13 | -86.6% |
| Christopher SuePsychiatry | Oakland | 96 | 13 | -86.5% |
| Rafik SidrakPsychiatry & Neurology | Lakewood | 88 | 12 | -86.4% |
| Alan CohenPsychiatry | San Leandro | 211 | 29 | -86.3% |
| Neeru KumarPsychiatry | Fremont | 396 | 55 | -86.1% |
| Kenneth PhunPsychiatry | Rosemead | 693 | 97 | -86% |
| Joshua LichtmanPsychiatry | Downey | 84 | 12 | -85.7% |
| Timothy MurphyPsychiatry & Neurology | Fallbrook | 430 | 62 | -85.6% |
| Rasheeda KaghazwalaPsychiatry & Neurology | Fremont | 121 | 18 | -85.1% |
| Don GuiroyPsychiatry & Neurology | Salinas | 87 | 13 | -85.1% |
| Nataliya GiagouPsychiatry | Modesto | 170 | 26 | -84.7% |
| Stephanie LeiPsychiatry & Neurology | Orange | 85 | 13 | -84.7% |
| Pranav PatelPsychiatry | Los Angeles | 72 | 11 | -84.7% |
| Pamela AlfafaraPsychiatry | Bakersfield | 266 | 41 | -84.6% |
| Roger SiouffeyPsychiatry | Stockton | 608 | 94 | -84.5% |
| George RowellPsychiatry & Neurology | Fresno | 77 | 12 | -84.4% |
| Eric LazcanoPsychiatry | Torrance | 201 | 32 | -84.1% |
| Joseph SheridanPsychiatry | San Diego | 75 | 12 | -84% |
| Henry GreenPsychiatry & Neurology | Fresno | 67 | 11 | -83.6% |
| Cesar CruzPsychiatry | Los Angeles | 221 | 37 | -83.3% |
| David TraderPsychiatry & Neurology | Los Angeles | 66 | 11 | -83.3% |
| Vy DoanPsychiatry | Los Angeles | 101 | 17 | -83.2% |
| Michael FrazierPsychiatry | Orange | 65 | 11 | -83.1% |
| Anthony ShinPsychiatry | Grand Terrace | 181 | 31 | -82.9% |
| David GranovetterAddiction Medicine | San Jose | 164 | 28 | -82.9% |
| Robert RossPsychiatry & Neurology | Santa Monica | 82 | 14 | -82.9% |
| Vanessa HernandezPsychiatry | Manhattan Beach | 163 | 28 | -82.8% |
| Isabel ManuelPsychiatry | Fresno | 64 | 11 | -82.8% |
| Satnam AtwalPsychiatry | Fresno | 407 | 71 | -82.6% |
| Cesar BenitezPsychiatry | El Cajon | 69 | 12 | -82.6% |
| Christopher BarnettPsychiatry & Neurology | Yuba City | 85 | 15 | -82.4% |
| Nolan ThompsonPsychiatry | Panorama City | 276 | 49 | -82.2% |
| Michelle ShuffPsychiatry | Torrance | 78 | 14 | -82.1% |
| Jyoti JainPsychiatry | San Francisco | 128 | 23 | -82% |
| Zaheib IdreesPsychiatry | Glendora | 402 | 73 | -81.8% |
| Rekha TailorPsychiatry & Neurology | Oxnard | 104 | 19 | -81.7% |
| Ninos AdamsPsychiatry | Bakersfield | 140 | 26 | -81.4% |
| Hanaa FamPsychiatry & Neurology | Irvine | 123 | 23 | -81.3% |
| Jevon JohnsonPsychiatry | Stockton | 132 | 25 | -81.1% |
| Arieh WhisenhuntPsychiatry | Porterville | 134 | 26 | -80.6% |
| Sai ChunduPsychiatry | Corona | 3,488 | 686 | -80.3% |
| Michelle SaidelPsychiatry | Big Bear Lake | 61 | 12 | -80.3% |
| Robert Kahn-RosePsychiatry | Encino | 637 | 127 | -80.1% |
| Fred StoddardPsychiatry | Vallejo | 105 | 21 | -80% |
| Sarah AltschulerPsychiatry | Vacaville | 65 | 13 | -80% |
| Xing-Xing LuoPsychiatry | Fairfield | 60 | 12 | -80% |
| Rossano BangasanPsychiatry | Bakersfield | 212 | 43 | -79.7% |
| Lesley MacarthurPsychiatry & Neurology | Newport Beach | 74 | 15 | -79.7% |
| Doan NguyenPsychiatry | Westminster | 69 | 14 | -79.7% |
| Chin Po Paul YangPsychiatry | Redwood City | 603 | 123 | -79.6% |
| Christopher VanschenckPsychiatry | Stockton | 787 | 162 | -79.4% |
| William WongPsychiatry | Redwood City | 68 | 14 | -79.4% |
| Ronald ElsonPsychiatry | Berkeley, | 63 | 13 | -79.4% |
| David LinderPsychiatry & Neurology | Folsom | 58 | 12 | -79.3% |
| Michael TolwinPsychiatry | Culver City | 1,455 | 303 | -79.2% |
| Jeanette SchneiderPsychiatry | Bishop | 369 | 78 | -78.9% |
| Maryam HashemiPsychiatry | Los Angeles | 71 | 15 | -78.9% |
| Dhaval PatelPsychiatry | Ontario | 52 | 11 | -78.8% |
| Fariborz FakhriPsychiatry & Neurology | Sacramento | 178 | 38 | -78.7% |
| Karen FreedPsychiatry | Tarzana | 61 | 13 | -78.7% |
| Colleen ConnorPsychiatry | Fresno | 523 | 112 | -78.6% |
| Prakash BhatiaPsychiatry | National City | 463 | 100 | -78.4% |
| Evagelos CoskinasPsychiatry | Costa Mesa | 51 | 11 | -78.4% |
| Brent WillardPsychiatry & Neurology | San Bernardino | 83 | 18 | -78.3% |
| Lilly KaoPsychiatry & Neurology | Long Beach | 657 | 143 | -78.2% |
| Minh NguyenPsychiatry & Neurology | Los Angeles | 165 | 36 | -78.2% |
| Faith RohlkePsychiatry | San Mateo | 219 | 48 | -78.1% |
| Lauren CarignanPsychiatry & Neurology | Santa Clarita | 795 | 176 | -77.9% |
| Allen ChenPsychiatry | Orange | 68 | 15 | -77.9% |
| Walter LampaPsychiatry | Lodi | 751 | 167 | -77.8% |
| Ebonie VazquezPsychiatry | Culver City | 54 | 12 | -77.8% |
| Maria JongPsychiatry | Baldwin Park | 448 | 100 | -77.7% |
| Michael FergusonPsychiatry | Goleta | 157 | 35 | -77.7% |
| Thomas KappelerPsychiatry & Neurology | Los Angeles | 110 | 25 | -77.3% |
| Iman HannaPsychiatry | Upland | 48 | 11 | -77.1% |
| Visit ChatsuthiphanPsychiatry | Moreno Valley | 1,049 | 241 | -77% |
| Ravinder SinghPsychiatry | Garden Grove | 228 | 53 | -76.8% |
| Ravi ChandraPsychiatry | San Francisco | 64 | 15 | -76.6% |
| Michael LoosePsychiatry & Neurology | Napa | 51 | 12 | -76.5% |
| Duc NguyenPsychiatry | Los Angeles | 291 | 69 | -76.3% |
| Ronald SeffPsychiatry | Woodside | 849 | 203 | -76.1% |
| Anthony BattistaPsychiatry | San Mateo | 329 | 79 | -76% |
| Janos ZahajszkyPsychiatry | San Francisco | 50 | 12 | -76% |
| Mercy GarciaPsychiatry | Bellflower | 348 | 84 | -75.9% |
| Adefemi TaiwoPsychiatry & Neurology | Bakersfield | 83 | 20 | -75.9% |
| Lester ZacklerNeuropsychiatry | Sherman Oaks | 58 | 14 | -75.9% |
| Fernando KwiatkowskiPsychiatry | San Diego | 375 | 92 | -75.5% |
| Robert Zalewski-ZaragozaPsychiatry | San Diego | 269 | 66 | -75.5% |
| Mary StauntonPsychiatry | Walnut Creek | 245 | 60 | -75.5% |
| Iona TripathiNeuropsychiatry | Santa Barbara | 53 | 13 | -75.5% |
| Gary BravoPsychiatry | Santa Rosa | 47 | 12 | -74.5% |
| Mubashir FarooqiPsychiatry | Ontario | 280 | 72 | -74.3% |
| Eric WardPsychiatry | Daly City | 105 | 27 | -74.3% |
| Jarrell MeierPsychiatry | San Francisco | 88 | 23 | -73.9% |
| Willard QuirkPsychiatry & Neurology | Lancaster | 42 | 11 | -73.8% |
| Rhiana FredricksonPsychiatry | Sylmar | 266 | 70 | -73.7% |
| Li LiangPsychiatry | San Diego | 57 | 15 | -73.7% |
| Robert YoergPsychiatry & Neurology | Belmont | 189 | 50 | -73.5% |
| Joseph SchwartzPsychiatry & Neurology | San Luis Obispo | 128 | 34 | -73.4% |
| Eraka BathPsychiatry & Neurology | Los Angeles | 45 | 12 | -73.3% |
| Rajesh BhagatNeuropsychiatry | Harbor City | 41 | 11 | -73.2% |
| Megan JonesPsychiatry | Norwalk | 78 | 21 | -73.1% |
| Todd BolingerPsychiatry | Long Beach | 486 | 131 | -73% |
| Cameron QuanbeckNeuropsychiatry | Sacramento | 274 | 74 | -73% |
| Jabeen HayatPsychiatry | Sutter Creek | 261 | 71 | -72.8% |
| Elmer IgnacioPsychiatry | Modesto | 206 | 56 | -72.8% |
| Than MyintPsychiatry | Fullerton | 190 | 52 | -72.6% |
| David FriedmanPsychiatry | Culver City | 109 | 30 | -72.5% |
| Jennifer ParkPsychiatry | San Diego | 107 | 30 | -72% |
| Olga IgnatowiczPsychiatry & Neurology | Roseville | 135 | 38 | -71.9% |
| Cuong NguyenPsychiatry | San Jose | 277 | 78 | -71.8% |
| Jon ChaffeePsychiatry | Costa Mesa | 227 | 64 | -71.8% |
| Bernadette GrosjeanPsychiatry | Torrance | 46 | 13 | -71.7% |
| Sarkis ArevianPsychiatry | Long Beach | 1,231 | 349 | -71.6% |
| Ellen MachikawaPsychiatry | Los Angeles | 176 | 50 | -71.6% |
| Puja ChadhaPsychiatry | Sacramento | 109 | 31 | -71.6% |
| Ahmed AboueshPsychiatry | Chico | 158 | 45 | -71.5% |
| Rochelle WoodsPsychiatry | Los Angeles | 77 | 22 | -71.4% |
| Jaga Nath GlassmanPsychiatry | La Jolla | 59 | 17 | -71.2% |
| Chesley HerbertPsychiatry | San Francisco | 45 | 13 | -71.1% |
| Leon SonesPsychiatry | Beverly Hills | 45 | 13 | -71.1% |
| Howard RubinPsychiatry & Neurology | San Francisco | 55 | 16 | -70.9% |
| Gene NakajimaPsychiatry | San Francisco | 41 | 12 | -70.7% |
| Christine LimPsychiatry | Antioch | 375 | 111 | -70.4% |
| Jenna LuuPsychiatry | Los Angeles | 161 | 48 | -70.2% |
| Claudio CabrejosPsychiatry & Neurology | National City | 114 | 34 | -70.2% |
| Michael LisiakPsychiatry | Atascadero | 1,412 | 424 | -70% |
| Peter DellPsychiatry | San Mateo | 357 | 107 | -70% |
| Nitin NandaGeriatric Psychiatry | Sherman Oaks | 50 | 15 | -70% |
| Dominick AddarioNeuropsychiatry | San Diego | 40 | 12 | -70% |
| Ornella AddonizioPsychiatry | Redding | 854 | 259 | -69.7% |
| Jorge DubinPsychiatry | Lakewood | 514 | 156 | -69.6% |
| Neelima KunamPsychiatry | Redlands | 92 | 28 | -69.6% |
| Mark MccormickPsychiatry | Cupertino | 180 | 55 | -69.4% |
| Tirath GillPsychiatry & Neurology | Fresno | 137 | 42 | -69.3% |
| Elizabeth Dawes KimPsychiatry & Neurology | San Francisco | 88 | 27 | -69.3% |
| Winston ChungNeuropsychiatry | San Francisco | 39 | 12 | -69.2% |
| Dennis KottlerPsychiatry | Westlake Village | 39 | 12 | -69.2% |
| Dennett HanssmannPsychiatry & Neurology | Sacramento | 139 | 43 | -69.1% |
| Monica NicholsPsychiatry | Murrieta | 58 | 18 | -69% |
| Aubrey EubanksPsychiatry | Grass Valley | 154 | 48 | -68.8% |
| James CorbyPsychiatry & Neurology | Santa Cruz | 99 | 31 | -68.7% |
| Grace NadolnyPsychiatry & Neurology | Mountain View | 57 | 18 | -68.4% |
| Raafat GirgisPsychiatry | Newport Beach | 57 | 18 | -68.4% |
| Christopher SchreurPsychiatry | San Bernardino | 41 | 13 | -68.3% |
| John AllenPsychiatry | El Cajon | 355 | 113 | -68.2% |
| Deborah BirnbaumPsychiatry | San Diego | 211 | 67 | -68.2% |
| Jami WoodsPsychiatry | Palm Springs | 181 | 58 | -68% |
| Daniel HaycraftPsychiatry | Calistoga | 246 | 79 | -67.9% |
| Demian RosePsychiatry | San Francisco | 53 | 17 | -67.9% |
| Daniel HackettPsychiatry | Riverside | 1,291 | 416 | -67.8% |
| Nataly BeckPsychiatry | Palo Alto | 34 | 11 | -67.6% |
| Eli KatzPsychiatry | Santa Barbara | 34 | 11 | -67.6% |
| Rahat AulakhPsychiatry & Neurology | Dublin | 194 | 63 | -67.5% |
| Tomonori FukuiPsychiatry | Chula Vista | 83 | 27 | -67.5% |
| Marina DsouzaPsychiatry | Gardena | 335 | 110 | -67.2% |
| Stuart LernerPsychiatry | Malibu | 271 | 89 | -67.2% |
| Erick CheungPsychiatry | Los Angeles | 76 | 25 | -67.1% |
| Anne RedburnPsychiatry | San Diego | 48 | 16 | -66.7% |
| Lawrence CohenPsychiatry | Berkeley | 36 | 12 | -66.7% |
| Hiruy GessessePsychiatry | Torrance | 285 | 96 | -66.3% |
| Abul ShiraziPsychiatry | Northridge | 92 | 31 | -66.3% |
| Robert BrofmanPsychiatry & Neurology | Los Angeles | 73 | 25 | -65.8% |
| Komal DesaiPsychiatry | Bakersfield | 73 | 25 | -65.8% |
| Paul RogersPsychiatry | Chico | 564 | 194 | -65.6% |
| Catherine MoorePsychiatry | San Diego | 55 | 19 | -65.5% |
| Pamela SwedlowPsychiatry | San Francisco | 52 | 18 | -65.4% |
| Paul HartmanPsychiatry | Los Angeles | 395 | 137 | -65.3% |
| Geetha PaladuguPsychiatry | Redlands | 190 | 66 | -65.3% |
| Seema KochharPsychiatry | Folsom | 46 | 16 | -65.2% |
| Ara DarakjianPsychiatry | Pasadena | 43 | 15 | -65.1% |
| James PrattyPsychiatry | Torrance | 373 | 131 | -64.9% |
| Roshinie FernandoPsychiatry & Neurology | Patton | 37 | 13 | -64.9% |
| M. Christina BensonPsychiatry & Neurology | Los Angeles | 37 | 13 | -64.9% |
| Ruth MondolfiPsychiatry & Neurology | El Cajon | 34 | 12 | -64.7% |
| Jack DenderPsychiatry | Encino | 79 | 28 | -64.6% |
| Rhonda WilliamsPsychiatry | North Hills | 65 | 23 | -64.6% |
| Gana ModyPsychiatry | Corona | 346 | 124 | -64.2% |
| Artoteles TandincoPsychiatry | Fairfield | 95 | 34 | -64.2% |
| Robert PetersonPsychiatry | Los Angeles | 53 | 19 | -64.2% |
| Nareshkumar ArulampalamPsychiatry | Panorama City | 594 | 213 | -64.1% |
| Ochuko DiamreyanPsychiatry | San Bernadino | 111 | 40 | -64% |
| Perry-Anthony MaliuanagPsychiatry | Santa Clara | 330 | 119 | -63.9% |
| Yim ChanPsychiatry | San Francisco | 108 | 39 | -63.9% |
| Andres SciollaPsychiatry | San Diego | 80 | 29 | -63.7% |
| Les KalmanPsychiatry & Neurology | Fairfield | 30 | 11 | -63.3% |
| Emma Samelson-JonesPsychiatry | Oakland | 30 | 11 | -63.3% |
Showing the 250 largest reductions of 2,837 prescribers in California.
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 California
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 California?
It fell 29.3% between 2013 and 2024 in Medicare Part D — a steeper fall than the country as a whole, where prescribing fell 12.9%. In 2024, California recorded 2,377,297 benzodiazepine claims across 562,309 patients.
How does California compare to other states?
California ranks 40 of 51 for prescribing intensity, at 4.23 benzodiazepine fills per patient per year, and 6 of 51 for the size of its decline since 2013 (1 being the steepest fall).
Which benzodiazepine is prescribed most in California?
Lorazepam, at 750,198 claims — 31.6% of the state's benzodiazepine prescribing in 2024. Next are Alprazolam (29.8%) and Clonazepam (20.3%).
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.