Benzodiazepine Prescribing in Colorado
Medicare Part D, 2013–2024.
Benzodiazepine prescribing in Colorado fell 17.2% between 2013 and 2024 — a 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.
Colorado over twelve years
Which benzodiazepines Colorado prescribes
| Drug | Claims 2024 | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Lorazepam | 96,499 | 29% |
| Alprazolam | 87,357 | 26.2% |
| Clonazepam | 83,246 | 25% |
| Diazepam | 44,493 | 13.4% |
| Temazepam | 17,083 | 5.1% |
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.
| Prescriber | City | 2019 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theodore LevinPsychiatry | Aurora | 399 | 30 | -92.5% |
| Anne Garrett-MillsPsychiatry | Aurora | 152 | 15 | -90.1% |
| Sandra LoftinPsychiatry | Denver | 138 | 14 | -89.9% |
| Tammas KellyPsychiatry & Neurology | Fort Collins | 298 | 36 | -87.9% |
| Christine BilbreyPsychiatry | Englewood | 107 | 13 | -87.9% |
| Dallas FlemingPsychiatry | Denver | 89 | 11 | -87.6% |
| Regina LeverrierPsychiatry | Lakewood | 688 | 102 | -85.2% |
| Kiran PatelPsychiatry | Highlands Ranch | 283 | 42 | -85.2% |
| Linsey HarrisonPsychiatry | Lakewood | 293 | 47 | -84% |
| Megan McnameePsychiatry | Denver | 93 | 16 | -82.8% |
| John FlemingPsychiatry | Colorado Springs | 183 | 33 | -82% |
| Kwang-Soo ParkPsychiatry | Colorado Springs | 295 | 54 | -81.7% |
| John SchultePsychiatry | Fort Collins | 280 | 54 | -80.7% |
| Brian RothbergPsychiatry | Aurora | 113 | 23 | -79.6% |
| Joel MillerPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 70 | 17 | -75.7% |
| Julia MaximonPsychiatry & Neurology | Boulder | 71 | 18 | -74.6% |
| Leland JohnstonPsychiatry & Neurology | Boulder | 91 | 24 | -73.6% |
| Jody RyanPsychiatry | Denver | 158 | 49 | -69% |
| Robert TonsingPsychiatry | Pueblo | 169 | 54 | -68% |
| David LyonsPsychiatry & Neurology | Englewood | 84 | 27 | -67.9% |
| Kimber-Lynne CongerPsychiatry | Denver | 37 | 12 | -67.6% |
| James BakerPsychiatry | Denver | 169 | 61 | -63.9% |
| Patricia LapkinPsychiatry | Grand Junction | 600 | 218 | -63.7% |
| Dolores TiongcoPsychiatry | Grand Junction | 35 | 13 | -62.9% |
| Sarah WarrenNeuropsychiatry | Centennial | 32 | 12 | -62.5% |
| Kenneth GamblinPsychiatry & Neurology | Colorado Springs | 263 | 99 | -62.4% |
| Brian ToshcoffPsychiatry | Fort Collins | 29 | 11 | -62.1% |
| Zoran VukadinovicPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 180 | 70 | -61.1% |
| Christopher DobbelsteinPsychiatry | Aurora | 38 | 15 | -60.5% |
| Sonya WakilPsychiatry | Loveland | 47 | 19 | -59.6% |
| Christopher SchneckPsychiatry | Aurora | 151 | 62 | -58.9% |
| Steven DworetskyPsychiatry & Neurology | Greenwood Village | 125 | 54 | -56.8% |
| Linda WilliamsPsychiatry | Highlands Ranch | 30 | 13 | -56.7% |
| Arlene HeggPsychiatry | Boulder | 111 | 49 | -55.9% |
| Jean KuninPsychiatry | Denver | 64 | 29 | -54.7% |
| Jeffrey RichmondPsychiatry | Denver | 310 | 141 | -54.5% |
| Kevin SnyderPsychiatry | Colorado Springs | 136 | 62 | -54.4% |
| Paula TrautnerPsychiatry | Durango | 57 | 26 | -54.4% |
| Alexis KessenPsychiatry | Highlands Ranch | 172 | 79 | -54.1% |
| Robert CowanPsychiatry & Neurology | Centennial | 350 | 165 | -52.9% |
| Randall BuzanPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 120 | 59 | -50.8% |
| Michael RandolphPsychiatry & Neurology | Lakewood | 359 | 177 | -50.7% |
| Charles DygertPsychiatry | Pueblo | 26 | 13 | -50% |
| Elizabeth LowdermilkPsychiatry | Denver | 128 | 65 | -49.2% |
| Susan OliverPsychiatry & Neurology | Boulder | 78 | 40 | -48.7% |
| Tony RobucciPsychiatry | Denver | 109 | 56 | -48.6% |
| Darren LishPsychiatry & Neurology | Lakewood | 27 | 14 | -48.1% |
| Clifford ZellerPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 23 | 12 | -47.8% |
| Kirk AndersonPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 53 | 28 | -47.2% |
| Michael GummowPsychiatry | Canon City | 57 | 32 | -43.9% |
| Benjamin AlderferPsychiatry | Denver | 94 | 54 | -42.6% |
| Doris GundersenPsychiatry | Denver | 348 | 209 | -39.9% |
| Janet SettlePsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 26 | 16 | -38.5% |
| Nauman TajPsychiatry | Fort Collins | 209 | 134 | -35.9% |
| Richard MarciniakPsychiatry | Colorado Springs | 707 | 463 | -34.5% |
| Gary HogganPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 42 | 28 | -33.3% |
| Craig HeacockPsychiatry & Neurology | Fort Collins | 150 | 101 | -32.7% |
| Robert BleckPsychiatry | Denver | 34 | 23 | -32.4% |
| Martin KronPsychiatry | Aurora | 249 | 169 | -32.1% |
| Wade MarklandPsychiatry | Thornton | 54 | 37 | -31.5% |
| Alexis GiesePsychiatry | Aurora | 68 | 47 | -30.9% |
| Shari BlackmonPsychiatry | Pueblo | 102 | 71 | -30.4% |
| Jonathan ChangPsychiatry & Neurology | Monument | 23 | 16 | -30.4% |
| Jed ShapiroPsychiatry | Boulder | 362 | 259 | -28.5% |
| William PhilipPsychiatry | Craig | 408 | 292 | -28.4% |
| Erica WeisPsychiatry | Aurora | 178 | 128 | -28.1% |
| Craig BushongPsychiatry & Neurology | Glenwood Springs | 56 | 41 | -26.8% |
| Kristin OlsonPsychiatry | Aurora | 347 | 259 | -25.4% |
| Musharraf NizamiPsychiatry | Pueblo | 319 | 242 | -24.1% |
| Brett FoussPsychiatry & Neurology | Colorado Springs | 17 | 13 | -23.5% |
| John MartensPsychiatry | Wheat Ridge | 534 | 420 | -21.3% |
| Joshua WoolPsychiatry | Denver | 459 | 362 | -21.1% |
| Brian AndersonPsychiatry & Neurology | Louisville | 123 | 98 | -20.3% |
| Jason RodriguezPsychiatry | Denver | 303 | 247 | -18.5% |
| Cindy CloverNeuropsychiatry | Denver | 45 | 37 | -17.8% |
| Kristin BrousseauNeuropsychiatry | Denver | 30 | 25 | -16.7% |
| Rex McgeheePsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 31 | 26 | -16.1% |
| Callie MontezPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 28 | 24 | -14.3% |
| Ralph EverettPsychiatry & Neurology | Colorado Springs | 116 | 104 | -10.3% |
| Leslie WinterPsychiatry | Aurora | 30 | 27 | -10% |
| Analice HoffenbergAddiction Medicine | Aurora | 112 | 102 | -8.9% |
| Daniela StamatoiuPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 95 | 87 | -8.4% |
| Henry SilvestriPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 24 | 22 | -8.3% |
| Joseph CannavoPsychiatry | Denver | 12 | 11 | -8.3% |
| Jeffrey HuffPsychiatry & Neurology | Greeley | 588 | 540 | -8.2% |
| Neil WeinerPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 68 | 63 | -7.4% |
| Stephen PopkinPsychiatry | Denver | 327 | 304 | -7% |
| William KarlsPsychiatry | Durango | 345 | 322 | -6.7% |
| Eric StraumanisPsychiatry | Loveland | 239 | 224 | -6.3% |
| John HardyPsychiatry | Pueblo | 878 | 840 | -4.3% |
| Debra EdelsonPsychiatry | Boulder | 488 | 467 | -4.3% |
| William WenokorPsychiatry & Neurology | Boulder | 65 | 63 | -3.1% |
| Miguel VisbalPsychiatry | Denver | 32 | 31 | -3.1% |
| William FinkPsychiatry | Longmont | 276 | 270 | -2.2% |
| Jason CurdPsychiatry | Colorado Springs | 245 | 241 | -1.6% |
| Regina JohnsonPsychiatry | Wheat Ridge | 337 | 333 | -1.2% |
| Brett SmithPsychiatry | Greeley | 449 | 449 | 0% |
| Arthur GarfeinPsychiatry & Neurology | Littleton | 13 | 13 | 0% |
| Patricia FosterNeuropsychiatry | Boulder | 12 | 12 | 0% |
| Jonathan WoodcockNeuropsychiatry | Aurora | 12 | 12 | 0% |
| Loretta RileyPsychiatry | Denver | 89 | 90 | +1.1% |
| Joseph SchuermeyerPsychiatry | Denver | 209 | 213 | +1.9% |
| David GoodPsychiatry | Montrose | 552 | 564 | +2.2% |
| Diana GoiaPsychiatry | Littleton | 182 | 192 | +5.5% |
| Scott HumphreysPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 15 | 16 | +6.7% |
| Jonathan RitvoNeuropsychiatry | Denver | 56 | 60 | +7.1% |
| Kylie HousePsychiatry | Aurora | 14 | 15 | +7.1% |
| Maninder BaliPsychiatry | Littleton | 330 | 356 | +7.9% |
| Robert VadnalPsychiatry | Sterling | 316 | 341 | +7.9% |
| James KaganPsychiatry & Neurology | Fort Collins | 165 | 180 | +9.1% |
| Ayesha RehmanPsychiatry | Greeley | 241 | 264 | +9.5% |
| Mitchell LiesterPsychiatry | Monument | 227 | 250 | +10.1% |
| Frank LeonePsychiatry | Denver | 526 | 587 | +11.6% |
| Joseph HornPsychiatry & Neurology | Longmont | 77 | 86 | +11.7% |
| Jonathan CoveyPsychiatry & Neurology | Pueblo | 50 | 57 | +14% |
| Theodore HendersonPsychiatry & Neurology | Centennial | 64 | 73 | +14.1% |
| Thomas VertreesPsychiatry & Neurology | Centennial | 14 | 16 | +14.3% |
| Artin TerhakopianPsychiatry | Pueblo | 234 | 270 | +15.4% |
| Laura WinsteadPsychiatry | Fort Collins | 62 | 72 | +16.1% |
| Deborah CoylePsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 88 | 103 | +17% |
| Earle ShugermanPsychiatry & Neurology | Boulder | 105 | 124 | +18.1% |
| Gerald ChittersPsychiatry & Neurology | Boulder | 126 | 150 | +19% |
| Mary Ellen CaiatiPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 15 | 18 | +20% |
| Kenneth KrausePsychiatry | Aurora | 1,063 | 1,303 | +22.6% |
| Dana KrafchickPsychiatry | Centennial | 13 | 16 | +23.1% |
| Gary GuttermanPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 77 | 96 | +24.7% |
| Michael LevinPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 56 | 71 | +26.8% |
| Brenda CzabanPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 11 | 14 | +27.3% |
| Roopashri KurseNeuropsychiatry | Centennial | 14 | 18 | +28.6% |
| Krishna GojePsychiatry | Westminster | 42 | 55 | +31% |
| Nathaniel ReichPsychiatry | Westminster | 209 | 276 | +32.1% |
| Charles KoranskyPsychiatry | Denver | 271 | 361 | +33.2% |
| Margaret DavisPsychiatry | Denver | 462 | 617 | +33.5% |
| Howard EntinPsychiatry & Neurology | Centennial | 200 | 268 | +34% |
| Patti SnodgrassPsychiatry | Durango | 153 | 206 | +34.6% |
| Jessica WarnerPsychiatry | Highlands Ranch | 250 | 339 | +35.6% |
| Larry SandersPsychiatry | Littleton | 216 | 295 | +36.6% |
| Brian WisePsychiatry | Denver | 46 | 63 | +37% |
| Christopher BayleyPsychiatry | Colorado Springs | 84 | 116 | +38.1% |
| Harris JensenPsychiatry | Fort Collins | 165 | 228 | +38.2% |
| Rajeev KandukuriPsychiatry | Pueblo | 76 | 109 | +43.4% |
| Gila SteinbockPsychiatry | Boulder | 45 | 65 | +44.4% |
| Sara VananrooyPsychiatry & Neurology | Castle Rock | 11 | 16 | +45.5% |
| Lawrence CormierPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 11 | 16 | +45.5% |
| Peter WileyPsychiatry | Glenwood Springs | 216 | 317 | +46.8% |
| Bert DechNeuropsychiatry | Denver | 16 | 24 | +50% |
| Kenneth WatanabePsychiatry | Fort Collins | 347 | 529 | +52.4% |
| Emily BucyPsychiatry | Boulder | 35 | 57 | +62.9% |
| Konoy MandalPsychiatry | Longmont | 80 | 132 | +65% |
| Alan NelsonPsychiatry & Neurology | Carbondale | 69 | 115 | +66.7% |
| Michael ZonaPsychiatry & Neurology | Boulder | 68 | 119 | +75% |
| David MillerPsychiatry | Louisville | 131 | 230 | +75.6% |
| Russell JohnsonNeuropsychiatry | Greeley | 56 | 104 | +85.7% |
| Roderick O'BrienPsychiatry | Louisville | 31 | 58 | +87.1% |
| Alan DimondPsychiatry | Westminster | 106 | 203 | +91.5% |
| Aaron MontanoPsychiatry | Aurora | 68 | 136 | +100% |
| Mark KabatPsychiatry | Denver | 46 | 92 | +100% |
| Sara VogelPsychiatry | Denver | 152 | 319 | +109.9% |
| Erinn StauterPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 36 | 76 | +111.1% |
| Sammie MossPsychiatry | Denver | 240 | 513 | +113.8% |
| Leon QuePsychiatry & Neurology | Boulder | 24 | 53 | +120.8% |
| Cathy CollinsNeuropsychiatry | Littleton | 24 | 53 | +120.8% |
| Alexis RitvoPsychiatry | Aurora | 78 | 174 | +123.1% |
| Sara MarkeyPsychiatry & Neurology | Aurora | 18 | 41 | +127.8% |
| Mary BraudPsychiatry & Neurology | Littleton | 12 | 28 | +133.3% |
| George BrandtPsychiatry | Denver | 276 | 667 | +141.7% |
| Rachel NorwoodPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 35 | 85 | +142.9% |
| Steve SarchePsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | 23 | 56 | +143.5% |
| Rachel WilkensonPsychiatry | Colorado Springs | 101 | 252 | +149.5% |
| George EliopulosPsychiatry | Longmont | 21 | 53 | +152.4% |
| Alisabeth Thurston-HicksPsychiatry | Canon City | 45 | 117 | +160% |
| Ken MacintyrePsychiatry | Denver | 21 | 56 | +166.7% |
| Michael WashinskyPsychiatry | Durango | 125 | 334 | +167.2% |
| Adam BursteinNeuropsychiatry | Denver | 11 | 30 | +172.7% |
| Bryan CobbPsychiatry | Denver | 85 | 235 | +176.5% |
| Jeffrey AnkerPsychiatry & Neurology | Boulder | 14 | 39 | +178.6% |
| Marilyn AdlerPsychiatry & Neurology | Boulder | 61 | 174 | +185.2% |
| Donna DesimonePsychiatry & Neurology | Centennial | 20 | 60 | +200% |
| Galia AbadiPsychiatry | Aurora | 15 | 47 | +213.3% |
| Sascha ArbouetNeuropsychiatry | Denver | 16 | 52 | +225% |
| Thad MakowskiPsychiatry | Greeley | 85 | 292 | +243.5% |
| Sayeed ManickPsychiatry | Aurora | 57 | 214 | +275.4% |
| Gregory KellermeyerPsychiatry | Westminster | 62 | 267 | +330.6% |
| Jillian BuschPsychiatry | Fort Collins | 98 | 466 | +375.5% |
| Edward ValkovPsychiatry | Wheat Ridge | 33 | 157 | +375.8% |
| Martin ReichmanPsychiatry | Loveland | 12 | 71 | +491.7% |
| Stefan BumolPsychiatry | Denver | 49 | 322 | +557.1% |
| Ehab KomsanPsychiatry | Colorado Springs | 15 | 104 | +593.3% |
| Thomas PerryPsychiatry & Neurology | Highlands Ranch | 39 | 328 | +741% |
| Kevin KilimannPsychiatry | Colorado Springs | 58 | 577 | +894.8% |
| Jeffrey WarrenPsychiatry | Loveland | — | 706 | — |
| William Rodriguez CartagenaPsychiatry | Highlands Ranch | — | 521 | — |
| Scott WalmerPsychiatry | Pueblo | — | 360 | — |
| Adriana De JulioPsychiatry | Denver | — | 321 | — |
| Ari AalPsychiatry & Neurology | Boulder | — | 262 | — |
| Lauren KwanPsychiatry | Lakewood | — | 226 | — |
| Khanh HaPsychiatry | Aurora | — | 183 | — |
| Jennifer OsborneGeriatric Psychiatry | Littleton | — | 173 | — |
| Quinn YenPsychiatry & Neurology | Boulder | — | 168 | — |
| Suzanne LesagePsychiatry & Neurology | Salida | — | 168 | — |
| Amanda StumpfPsychiatry | Aurora | — | 152 | — |
| Talmage NielsenPsychiatry & Neurology | Colorado Springs | — | 151 | — |
| James SalbenblattPsychiatry | Aurora | — | 150 | — |
| Isaiah BercotPsychiatry & Neurology | Arvada | — | 141 | — |
| Aaron GreensteinNeuropsychiatry | Denver | — | 122 | — |
| Eric HaalandPsychiatry & Neurology | Lafayette | — | 121 | — |
| Khaja ChistyPsychiatry | Lone Tree | — | 113 | — |
| Donald WinterPsychiatry | Aurora | — | 110 | — |
| Nathaniel RoysdenPsychiatry | Denver | — | 109 | — |
| Margaret LackeyPsychiatry | Lakewood | — | 107 | — |
| Caitlin KieltykaPsychiatry | Colorado Springs | — | 105 | — |
| Erin O'FlahertyPsychiatry | Highlands Ranch | — | 101 | — |
| Marshal AshPsychiatry & Neurology | Colorado Springs | — | 91 | — |
| Ritambhara WadhwaPsychiatry | Aurora | — | 87 | — |
| Devika BhatiaPsychiatry | Aurora | — | 83 | — |
| Benjamin NissenPsychiatry | Edwards | — | 83 | — |
| Megan DeryPsychiatry | Denver | — | 79 | — |
| Pedro SimpsonPsychiatry | Denver | — | 74 | — |
| Anna ShapiroPsychiatry | Lafayette | — | 74 | — |
| Jennifer LytlePsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | — | 71 | — |
| Zachary KellerPsychiatry | Lone Tree | — | 62 | — |
| Lea WatsonPsychiatry | Aurora | — | 62 | — |
| Minh NguyenPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | — | 60 | — |
| Joshua RodgersPsychiatry | Edwards | — | 55 | — |
| Richard FroudePsychiatry | Denver | — | 54 | — |
| Neza BharuchaPsychiatry | Aurora | — | 53 | — |
| Brent BeckNeuropsychiatry | Aurora | — | 53 | — |
| John WilliamsPsychiatry | Lafayette | — | 49 | — |
| Joseph HorvathPsychiatry & Neurology | Denver | — | 47 | — |
| Theresa ClarkPsychiatry | Dillon | — | 46 | — |
| Jacob GadbawPsychiatry | Aurora | — | 46 | — |
| Josiah ZieglerPsychiatry | Fort Collins | — | 45 | — |
| Katelyn WaligoskePsychiatry & Neurology | Longmont | — | 43 | — |
| Meagan PerryPsychiatry | Greenwood Village | — | 42 | — |
| Charles ParkPsychiatry | Lone Tree | — | 42 | — |
| Janice Hanlon-TothPsychiatry | Fort Collins | — | 41 | — |
| Nicholas SahagianPsychiatry | Wheat Ridge | — | 41 | — |
| Erin SmithPsychiatry | Aurora | — | 41 | — |
| Peter MarlinPsychiatry | Colorado Springs | — | 40 | — |
| David Hutcheson-TiptonPsychiatry | Aurora | — | 40 | — |
| Matthew BursonPsychiatry & Neurology | Grand Junction | — | 39 | — |
| Thomas MitchellPsychiatry | Fort Collins | — | 38 | — |
| Richard CohnPsychiatry & Neurology | Englewood | — | 37 | — |
| Miranda RogersPsychiatry | Denver | — | 37 | — |
| Do Hyung KimPsychiatry & Neurology | Highlands Ranch | — | 36 | — |
| Lindsey RutledgePsychiatry & Neurology | Littleton | — | 34 | — |
| Michael GowerPsychiatry | Lakewood | — | 34 | — |
| Rachel MartinPsychiatry & Neurology | Edwards | — | 34 | — |
| Kerri LangerPsychiatry & Neurology | Aurora | — | 33 | — |
| Andrew WhitePsychiatry | Aurora | — | 33 | — |
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 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.