Medical Disclaimer:This site provides information only, not medical advice. Always consult a doctor before changing medication.
TaperOffBenzos

Benzodiazepine Prescribing in Colorado

Medicare Part D, 20132024.

Benzodiazepine prescribing in Colorado fell 17.2% between 2013 and 2024a steeper fall than the country as a whole. In 2024 the state recorded 333,226 Medicare Part D benzodiazepine claims across 85,404 patients, an average of 3.9 fills per patient per year, which ranks 45 of 51 states. Lorazepam accounts for 29% of it.

333,226
Claims, 2024
85,404
Patients, 2024
3.9
Fills per patient
-17.2%
Since 2013

Colorado over twelve years

484k398k313k201320192024
Medicare Part D benzodiazepine claims in Colorado, 2013–2024

Which benzodiazepines Colorado prescribes

DrugClaims 2024Share
Lorazepam96,49929%
Alprazolam87,35726.2%
Clonazepam83,24625%
Diazepam44,49313.4%
Temazepam17,0835.1%

Psychiatric prescribers in Colorado

301 psychiatric prescribers in Colorado appear in the 2024 Medicare Part D data with benzodiazepine claims. 43 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.

PrescriberCity20192024Change
Theodore LevinPsychiatryAurora39930-92.5%
Anne Garrett-MillsPsychiatryAurora15215-90.1%
Sandra LoftinPsychiatryDenver13814-89.9%
Tammas KellyPsychiatry & NeurologyFort Collins29836-87.9%
Christine BilbreyPsychiatryEnglewood10713-87.9%
Dallas FlemingPsychiatryDenver8911-87.6%
Regina LeverrierPsychiatryLakewood688102-85.2%
Kiran PatelPsychiatryHighlands Ranch28342-85.2%
Linsey HarrisonPsychiatryLakewood29347-84%
Megan McnameePsychiatryDenver9316-82.8%
John FlemingPsychiatryColorado Springs18333-82%
Kwang-Soo ParkPsychiatryColorado Springs29554-81.7%
John SchultePsychiatryFort Collins28054-80.7%
Brian RothbergPsychiatryAurora11323-79.6%
Joel MillerPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver7017-75.7%
Julia MaximonPsychiatry & NeurologyBoulder7118-74.6%
Leland JohnstonPsychiatry & NeurologyBoulder9124-73.6%
Jody RyanPsychiatryDenver15849-69%
Robert TonsingPsychiatryPueblo16954-68%
David LyonsPsychiatry & NeurologyEnglewood8427-67.9%
Kimber-Lynne CongerPsychiatryDenver3712-67.6%
James BakerPsychiatryDenver16961-63.9%
Patricia LapkinPsychiatryGrand Junction600218-63.7%
Dolores TiongcoPsychiatryGrand Junction3513-62.9%
Sarah WarrenNeuropsychiatryCentennial3212-62.5%
Kenneth GamblinPsychiatry & NeurologyColorado Springs26399-62.4%
Brian ToshcoffPsychiatryFort Collins2911-62.1%
Zoran VukadinovicPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver18070-61.1%
Christopher DobbelsteinPsychiatryAurora3815-60.5%
Sonya WakilPsychiatryLoveland4719-59.6%
Christopher SchneckPsychiatryAurora15162-58.9%
Steven DworetskyPsychiatry & NeurologyGreenwood Village12554-56.8%
Linda WilliamsPsychiatryHighlands Ranch3013-56.7%
Arlene HeggPsychiatryBoulder11149-55.9%
Jean KuninPsychiatryDenver6429-54.7%
Jeffrey RichmondPsychiatryDenver310141-54.5%
Kevin SnyderPsychiatryColorado Springs13662-54.4%
Paula TrautnerPsychiatryDurango5726-54.4%
Alexis KessenPsychiatryHighlands Ranch17279-54.1%
Robert CowanPsychiatry & NeurologyCentennial350165-52.9%
Randall BuzanPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver12059-50.8%
Michael RandolphPsychiatry & NeurologyLakewood359177-50.7%
Charles DygertPsychiatryPueblo2613-50%
Elizabeth LowdermilkPsychiatryDenver12865-49.2%
Susan OliverPsychiatry & NeurologyBoulder7840-48.7%
Tony RobucciPsychiatryDenver10956-48.6%
Darren LishPsychiatry & NeurologyLakewood2714-48.1%
Clifford ZellerPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver2312-47.8%
Kirk AndersonPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver5328-47.2%
Michael GummowPsychiatryCanon City5732-43.9%
Benjamin AlderferPsychiatryDenver9454-42.6%
Doris GundersenPsychiatryDenver348209-39.9%
Janet SettlePsychiatry & NeurologyDenver2616-38.5%
Nauman TajPsychiatryFort Collins209134-35.9%
Richard MarciniakPsychiatryColorado Springs707463-34.5%
Gary HogganPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver4228-33.3%
Craig HeacockPsychiatry & NeurologyFort Collins150101-32.7%
Robert BleckPsychiatryDenver3423-32.4%
Martin KronPsychiatryAurora249169-32.1%
Wade MarklandPsychiatryThornton5437-31.5%
Alexis GiesePsychiatryAurora6847-30.9%
Shari BlackmonPsychiatryPueblo10271-30.4%
Jonathan ChangPsychiatry & NeurologyMonument2316-30.4%
Jed ShapiroPsychiatryBoulder362259-28.5%
William PhilipPsychiatryCraig408292-28.4%
Erica WeisPsychiatryAurora178128-28.1%
Craig BushongPsychiatry & NeurologyGlenwood Springs5641-26.8%
Kristin OlsonPsychiatryAurora347259-25.4%
Musharraf NizamiPsychiatryPueblo319242-24.1%
Brett FoussPsychiatry & NeurologyColorado Springs1713-23.5%
John MartensPsychiatryWheat Ridge534420-21.3%
Joshua WoolPsychiatryDenver459362-21.1%
Brian AndersonPsychiatry & NeurologyLouisville12398-20.3%
Jason RodriguezPsychiatryDenver303247-18.5%
Cindy CloverNeuropsychiatryDenver4537-17.8%
Kristin BrousseauNeuropsychiatryDenver3025-16.7%
Rex McgeheePsychiatry & NeurologyDenver3126-16.1%
Callie MontezPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver2824-14.3%
Ralph EverettPsychiatry & NeurologyColorado Springs116104-10.3%
Leslie WinterPsychiatryAurora3027-10%
Analice HoffenbergAddiction MedicineAurora112102-8.9%
Daniela StamatoiuPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver9587-8.4%
Henry SilvestriPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver2422-8.3%
Joseph CannavoPsychiatryDenver1211-8.3%
Jeffrey HuffPsychiatry & NeurologyGreeley588540-8.2%
Neil WeinerPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver6863-7.4%
Stephen PopkinPsychiatryDenver327304-7%
William KarlsPsychiatryDurango345322-6.7%
Eric StraumanisPsychiatryLoveland239224-6.3%
John HardyPsychiatryPueblo878840-4.3%
Debra EdelsonPsychiatryBoulder488467-4.3%
William WenokorPsychiatry & NeurologyBoulder6563-3.1%
Miguel VisbalPsychiatryDenver3231-3.1%
William FinkPsychiatryLongmont276270-2.2%
Jason CurdPsychiatryColorado Springs245241-1.6%
Regina JohnsonPsychiatryWheat Ridge337333-1.2%
Brett SmithPsychiatryGreeley4494490%
Arthur GarfeinPsychiatry & NeurologyLittleton13130%
Patricia FosterNeuropsychiatryBoulder12120%
Jonathan WoodcockNeuropsychiatryAurora12120%
Loretta RileyPsychiatryDenver8990+1.1%
Joseph SchuermeyerPsychiatryDenver209213+1.9%
David GoodPsychiatryMontrose552564+2.2%
Diana GoiaPsychiatryLittleton182192+5.5%
Scott HumphreysPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver1516+6.7%
Jonathan RitvoNeuropsychiatryDenver5660+7.1%
Kylie HousePsychiatryAurora1415+7.1%
Maninder BaliPsychiatryLittleton330356+7.9%
Robert VadnalPsychiatrySterling316341+7.9%
James KaganPsychiatry & NeurologyFort Collins165180+9.1%
Ayesha RehmanPsychiatryGreeley241264+9.5%
Mitchell LiesterPsychiatryMonument227250+10.1%
Frank LeonePsychiatryDenver526587+11.6%
Joseph HornPsychiatry & NeurologyLongmont7786+11.7%
Jonathan CoveyPsychiatry & NeurologyPueblo5057+14%
Theodore HendersonPsychiatry & NeurologyCentennial6473+14.1%
Thomas VertreesPsychiatry & NeurologyCentennial1416+14.3%
Artin TerhakopianPsychiatryPueblo234270+15.4%
Laura WinsteadPsychiatryFort Collins6272+16.1%
Deborah CoylePsychiatry & NeurologyDenver88103+17%
Earle ShugermanPsychiatry & NeurologyBoulder105124+18.1%
Gerald ChittersPsychiatry & NeurologyBoulder126150+19%
Mary Ellen CaiatiPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver1518+20%
Kenneth KrausePsychiatryAurora1,0631,303+22.6%
Dana KrafchickPsychiatryCentennial1316+23.1%
Gary GuttermanPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver7796+24.7%
Michael LevinPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver5671+26.8%
Brenda CzabanPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver1114+27.3%
Roopashri KurseNeuropsychiatryCentennial1418+28.6%
Krishna GojePsychiatryWestminster4255+31%
Nathaniel ReichPsychiatryWestminster209276+32.1%
Charles KoranskyPsychiatryDenver271361+33.2%
Margaret DavisPsychiatryDenver462617+33.5%
Howard EntinPsychiatry & NeurologyCentennial200268+34%
Patti SnodgrassPsychiatryDurango153206+34.6%
Jessica WarnerPsychiatryHighlands Ranch250339+35.6%
Larry SandersPsychiatryLittleton216295+36.6%
Brian WisePsychiatryDenver4663+37%
Christopher BayleyPsychiatryColorado Springs84116+38.1%
Harris JensenPsychiatryFort Collins165228+38.2%
Rajeev KandukuriPsychiatryPueblo76109+43.4%
Gila SteinbockPsychiatryBoulder4565+44.4%
Sara VananrooyPsychiatry & NeurologyCastle Rock1116+45.5%
Lawrence CormierPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver1116+45.5%
Peter WileyPsychiatryGlenwood Springs216317+46.8%
Bert DechNeuropsychiatryDenver1624+50%
Kenneth WatanabePsychiatryFort Collins347529+52.4%
Emily BucyPsychiatryBoulder3557+62.9%
Konoy MandalPsychiatryLongmont80132+65%
Alan NelsonPsychiatry & NeurologyCarbondale69115+66.7%
Michael ZonaPsychiatry & NeurologyBoulder68119+75%
David MillerPsychiatryLouisville131230+75.6%
Russell JohnsonNeuropsychiatryGreeley56104+85.7%
Roderick O'BrienPsychiatryLouisville3158+87.1%
Alan DimondPsychiatryWestminster106203+91.5%
Aaron MontanoPsychiatryAurora68136+100%
Mark KabatPsychiatryDenver4692+100%
Sara VogelPsychiatryDenver152319+109.9%
Erinn StauterPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver3676+111.1%
Sammie MossPsychiatryDenver240513+113.8%
Leon QuePsychiatry & NeurologyBoulder2453+120.8%
Cathy CollinsNeuropsychiatryLittleton2453+120.8%
Alexis RitvoPsychiatryAurora78174+123.1%
Sara MarkeyPsychiatry & NeurologyAurora1841+127.8%
Mary BraudPsychiatry & NeurologyLittleton1228+133.3%
George BrandtPsychiatryDenver276667+141.7%
Rachel NorwoodPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver3585+142.9%
Steve SarchePsychiatry & NeurologyDenver2356+143.5%
Rachel WilkensonPsychiatryColorado Springs101252+149.5%
George EliopulosPsychiatryLongmont2153+152.4%
Alisabeth Thurston-HicksPsychiatryCanon City45117+160%
Ken MacintyrePsychiatryDenver2156+166.7%
Michael WashinskyPsychiatryDurango125334+167.2%
Adam BursteinNeuropsychiatryDenver1130+172.7%
Bryan CobbPsychiatryDenver85235+176.5%
Jeffrey AnkerPsychiatry & NeurologyBoulder1439+178.6%
Marilyn AdlerPsychiatry & NeurologyBoulder61174+185.2%
Donna DesimonePsychiatry & NeurologyCentennial2060+200%
Galia AbadiPsychiatryAurora1547+213.3%
Sascha ArbouetNeuropsychiatryDenver1652+225%
Thad MakowskiPsychiatryGreeley85292+243.5%
Sayeed ManickPsychiatryAurora57214+275.4%
Gregory KellermeyerPsychiatryWestminster62267+330.6%
Jillian BuschPsychiatryFort Collins98466+375.5%
Edward ValkovPsychiatryWheat Ridge33157+375.8%
Martin ReichmanPsychiatryLoveland1271+491.7%
Stefan BumolPsychiatryDenver49322+557.1%
Ehab KomsanPsychiatryColorado Springs15104+593.3%
Thomas PerryPsychiatry & NeurologyHighlands Ranch39328+741%
Kevin KilimannPsychiatryColorado Springs58577+894.8%
Jeffrey WarrenPsychiatryLoveland706
William Rodriguez CartagenaPsychiatryHighlands Ranch521
Scott WalmerPsychiatryPueblo360
Adriana De JulioPsychiatryDenver321
Ari AalPsychiatry & NeurologyBoulder262
Lauren KwanPsychiatryLakewood226
Khanh HaPsychiatryAurora183
Jennifer OsborneGeriatric PsychiatryLittleton173
Quinn YenPsychiatry & NeurologyBoulder168
Suzanne LesagePsychiatry & NeurologySalida168
Amanda StumpfPsychiatryAurora152
Talmage NielsenPsychiatry & NeurologyColorado Springs151
James SalbenblattPsychiatryAurora150
Isaiah BercotPsychiatry & NeurologyArvada141
Aaron GreensteinNeuropsychiatryDenver122
Eric HaalandPsychiatry & NeurologyLafayette121
Khaja ChistyPsychiatryLone Tree113
Donald WinterPsychiatryAurora110
Nathaniel RoysdenPsychiatryDenver109
Margaret LackeyPsychiatryLakewood107
Caitlin KieltykaPsychiatryColorado Springs105
Erin O'FlahertyPsychiatryHighlands Ranch101
Marshal AshPsychiatry & NeurologyColorado Springs91
Ritambhara WadhwaPsychiatryAurora87
Devika BhatiaPsychiatryAurora83
Benjamin NissenPsychiatryEdwards83
Megan DeryPsychiatryDenver79
Pedro SimpsonPsychiatryDenver74
Anna ShapiroPsychiatryLafayette74
Jennifer LytlePsychiatry & NeurologyDenver71
Zachary KellerPsychiatryLone Tree62
Lea WatsonPsychiatryAurora62
Minh NguyenPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver60
Joshua RodgersPsychiatryEdwards55
Richard FroudePsychiatryDenver54
Neza BharuchaPsychiatryAurora53
Brent BeckNeuropsychiatryAurora53
John WilliamsPsychiatryLafayette49
Joseph HorvathPsychiatry & NeurologyDenver47
Theresa ClarkPsychiatryDillon46
Jacob GadbawPsychiatryAurora46
Josiah ZieglerPsychiatryFort Collins45
Katelyn WaligoskePsychiatry & NeurologyLongmont43
Meagan PerryPsychiatryGreenwood Village42
Charles ParkPsychiatryLone Tree42
Janice Hanlon-TothPsychiatryFort Collins41
Nicholas SahagianPsychiatryWheat Ridge41
Erin SmithPsychiatryAurora41
Peter MarlinPsychiatryColorado Springs40
David Hutcheson-TiptonPsychiatryAurora40
Matthew BursonPsychiatry & NeurologyGrand Junction39
Thomas MitchellPsychiatryFort Collins38
Richard CohnPsychiatry & NeurologyEnglewood37
Miranda RogersPsychiatryDenver37
Do Hyung KimPsychiatry & NeurologyHighlands Ranch36
Lindsey RutledgePsychiatry & NeurologyLittleton34
Michael GowerPsychiatryLakewood34
Rachel MartinPsychiatry & NeurologyEdwards34
Kerri LangerPsychiatry & NeurologyAurora33
Andrew WhitePsychiatryAurora33

Showing the 250 largest reductions of 301 prescribers in Colorado.

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 Colorado

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 Colorado?

It fell 17.2% between 2013 and 2024 in Medicare Part D — a steeper fall than the country as a whole, where prescribing fell 12.9%. In 2024, Colorado recorded 333,226 benzodiazepine claims across 85,404 patients.

How does Colorado compare to other states?

Colorado ranks 45 of 51 for prescribing intensity, at 3.9 benzodiazepine fills per patient per year, and 21 of 51 for the size of its decline since 2013 (1 being the steepest fall).

Which benzodiazepine is prescribed most in Colorado?

Lorazepam, at 96,499 claims — 29% of the state's benzodiazepine prescribing in 2024. Next are Alprazolam (26.2%) and Clonazepam (25%).

Source

CMS Medicare Part D Prescribers public use files, data years 20132024 (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.