Benzodiazepine Prescribing in North Dakota
Medicare Part D, 2013–2024.
Benzodiazepine prescribing in North Dakota fell 6.9% between 2013 and 2024 — a slower fall than the country as a whole. In 2024 the state recorded 70,652 Medicare Part D benzodiazepine claims across 15,525 patients, an average of 4.55 fills per patient per year, which ranks 31 of 51 states. Lorazepam accounts for 37.7% of it.
North Dakota over twelve years
Which benzodiazepines North Dakota prescribes
| Drug | Claims 2024 | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Lorazepam | 26,605 | 37.7% |
| Clonazepam | 21,808 | 30.9% |
| Alprazolam | 15,390 | 21.8% |
| Diazepam | 4,135 | 5.9% |
| Temazepam | 2,378 | 3.4% |
Psychiatric prescribers in North Dakota
46 psychiatric prescribers in North Dakota appear in the 2024 Medicare Part D data with benzodiazepine claims. 8 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 EickPsychiatry | Bismarck | 288 | 15 | -94.8% |
| Ashok BansalPsychiatry | Grand Forks | 929 | 79 | -91.5% |
| Madeline FreePsychiatry | Dickinson | 634 | 76 | -88% |
| Scharazard GrayAddiction Medicine | Pettibone | 77 | 11 | -85.7% |
| Eduardo YabutPsychiatry | Jamestown | 118 | 18 | -84.7% |
| David LopezPsychiatry | Fargo | 502 | 175 | -65.1% |
| Ellen FeldmanPsychiatry | Grand Forks | 57 | 21 | -63.2% |
| Michael CapanPsychiatry | Bismarck | 1,000 | 488 | -51.2% |
| Robert OlsonPsychiatry | Fargo | 647 | 421 | -34.9% |
| Emmet KenneyPsychiatry | Fargo | 174 | 117 | -32.8% |
| Bradley KohoutekPsychiatry | Fargo | 1,195 | 861 | -27.9% |
| Lori EspritPsychiatry | Grand Forks | 384 | 303 | -21.1% |
| Amador DizonPsychiatry | Fargo | 297 | 245 | -17.5% |
| Susan DelapPsychiatry | Bismarck | 357 | 336 | -5.9% |
| Patrick GoodmanPsychiatry | Grand Forks | 458 | 463 | +1.1% |
| Wayne MartinsenPsychiatry | Minot | 120 | 124 | +3.3% |
| Kathryn TevingtonPsychiatry | Grand Forks | 337 | 365 | +8.3% |
| Cindy SondagPsychiatry | Fargo | 262 | 292 | +11.5% |
| Lisa SchockPsychiatry | Fargo | 12 | 14 | +16.7% |
| Adam JangulaPsychiatry | Bismarck | 125 | 149 | +19.2% |
| Cheryl HuberPsychiatry | Bismarck | 505 | 640 | +26.7% |
| Tiffany DoylePsychiatry | Fargo | 482 | 647 | +34.2% |
| Diane NelsonPsychiatry | Bismarck | 182 | 273 | +50% |
| Amer IbrahimPsychiatry | Fargo | 415 | 640 | +54.2% |
| Stephanie JallenPsychiatry | Bismarck | 16 | 28 | +75% |
| Jeremy HandyPsychiatry & Neurology | Grand Forks | 143 | 270 | +88.8% |
| Fetih AkgulPsychiatry | Fargo | 12 | 28 | +133.3% |
| Amna MasoodPsychiatry | Fargo | 65 | 174 | +167.7% |
| Michael LancePsychiatry & Neurology | Bismarck | 19 | 58 | +205.3% |
| Eric SwensenPsychiatry | Fargo | 28 | 153 | +446.4% |
| Marisa JenningsPsychiatry | Minot | — | 392 | — |
| Mallory SkorheimPsychiatry | Fargo | — | 301 | — |
| Leah ThompsonPsychiatry | Fargo | — | 269 | — |
| Sheikh HabibullahPsychiatry | Fargo | — | 269 | — |
| Rose JuliusPsychiatry | Grand Forks | — | 208 | — |
| Kyle CleasbyPsychiatry | Fargo | — | 165 | — |
| Annah PreszlerPsychiatry | Bismarck | — | 132 | — |
| Jennifer MyersPsychiatry | Fargo | — | 47 | — |
| Asha PatelPsychiatry | Minot | — | 39 | — |
| Jared SolomonPsychiatry | Minot | — | 38 | — |
| Albert AllickPsychiatry | Fargo | — | 15 | — |
| Ali PervaizPsychiatry | Fargo | — | 14 | — |
| Bryon HerbelPsychiatry & Neurology | Bismarck | — | 14 | — |
| Jinal DesaiPsychiatry | Grand Forks | — | 13 | — |
| Kenneth AsogwaPsychiatry | Grand Forks | — | 11 | — |
| Chuanshen WuPsychiatry | Grand Forks | 54 | 831 | +1438.9% |
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 North Dakota
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 North Dakota?
It fell 6.9% between 2013 and 2024 in Medicare Part D — a slower fall than the country as a whole, where prescribing fell 12.9%. In 2024, North Dakota recorded 70,652 benzodiazepine claims across 15,525 patients.
How does North Dakota compare to other states?
North Dakota ranks 31 of 51 for prescribing intensity, at 4.55 benzodiazepine fills per patient per year, and 34 of 51 for the size of its decline since 2013 (1 being the steepest fall).
Which benzodiazepine is prescribed most in North Dakota?
Lorazepam, at 26,605 claims — 37.7% of the state's benzodiazepine prescribing in 2024. Next are Clonazepam (30.9%) and Alprazolam (21.8%).
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.