Benzodiazepine Prescribing in South Carolina
Medicare Part D, 2013–2024.
Benzodiazepine prescribing in South Carolina rose 2.5% between 2013 and 2024 — a slower fall than the country as a whole. In 2024 the state recorded 748,024 Medicare Part D benzodiazepine claims across 150,158 patients, an average of 4.98 fills per patient per year, which ranks 13 of 51 states. Alprazolam accounts for 34.1% of it.
748,024
Claims, 2024
150,158
Patients, 2024
4.98
Fills per patient
+2.5%
Since 2013
South Carolina over twelve years
Which benzodiazepines South Carolina prescribes
| Drug | Claims 2024 | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Alprazolam | 254,823 | 34.1% |
| Lorazepam | 187,099 | 25% |
| Clonazepam | 174,666 | 23.4% |
| Diazepam | 73,283 | 9.8% |
| Temazepam | 48,946 | 6.5% |
Psychiatric prescribers in South Carolina
321 psychiatric prescribers in South Carolina appear in the 2024 Medicare Part D data with benzodiazepine claims. 37 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ernest MartinPsychiatry | Anderson | 1,893 | 70 | -96.3% |
| Mcleod GwynettePsychiatry | Charleston | 241 | 11 | -95.4% |
| Jan PresbergPsychiatry | West Columbia | 138 | 13 | -90.6% |
| Debra BjorkPsychiatry | Gaston | 532 | 55 | -89.7% |
| Nikunjkumar ModiPsychiatry | Florence | 452 | 55 | -87.8% |
| Dana WileyPsychiatry | Piedmont | 755 | 97 | -87.2% |
| Ajay SoodPsychiatry | Charleston | 482 | 68 | -85.9% |
| Andrew AlkisPsychiatry | Charleston | 79 | 12 | -84.8% |
| Leah MccarttPsychiatry | Florence | 181 | 30 | -83.4% |
| Vonda GravelyPsychiatry | Spartanburg | 620 | 113 | -81.8% |
| Phyllis ArmsteadPsychiatry & Neurology | Conway | 329 | 68 | -79.3% |
| Christie WilliamsonPsychiatry | Lancaster | 466 | 100 | -78.5% |
| Emily RountreePsychiatry | Mt Pleasant | 129 | 30 | -76.7% |
| Jeffrey ReynantePsychiatry | Spartanburg | 375 | 103 | -72.5% |
| Miles ArdamanPsychiatry | Greenville | 126 | 35 | -72.2% |
| Paul RobbinsPsychiatry | Summerville | 197 | 56 | -71.6% |
| Raphaela FontanaPsychiatry & Neurology | Greenville | 48 | 14 | -70.8% |
| Robert BankPsychiatry | Columbia | 48 | 16 | -66.7% |
| Kurt KlauburgPsychiatry | Conway | 331 | 112 | -66.2% |
| Jeffrey CraddockPsychiatry & Neurology | Greenville | 700 | 240 | -65.7% |
| Simi SachdevPsychiatry | Dillon | 76 | 28 | -63.2% |
| William TaylorPsychiatry | Simpsonville | 563 | 227 | -59.7% |
| Michael TranPsychiatry | Anderson | 417 | 179 | -57.1% |
| Melinda EdwardsPsychiatry | Summerville | 28 | 12 | -57.1% |
| Pascale MardikianPsychiatry | Charleston | 676 | 291 | -57% |
| Lynn WrightPsychiatry | Simpsonville | 292 | 126 | -56.8% |
| Ellie MozingoPsychiatry | Columbia | 1,599 | 703 | -56% |
| Abdalla BamashmusPsychiatry | Anderson | 409 | 185 | -54.8% |
| Craig StuckPsychiatry | Columbia | 24 | 11 | -54.2% |
| Sarah BookPsychiatry | Charleston | 74 | 35 | -52.7% |
| Sarah CokerPsychiatry | Charleston | 166 | 79 | -52.4% |
| Jeffery BrandenburgPsychiatry | Columbia | 359 | 174 | -51.5% |
| David JusticePsychiatry | Sumter | 82 | 40 | -51.2% |
| Kristin Remke ClaryPsychiatry | Columbia | 96 | 47 | -51% |
| Judith TolhurstPsychiatry | Greenwood | 264 | 130 | -50.8% |
| Constance AlexanderPsychiatry | Charleston | 704 | 351 | -50.1% |
| William BragdonPsychiatry | West Columbia | 138 | 69 | -50% |
| Mark GeorgePsychiatry | Charleston | 37 | 19 | -48.6% |
| Charles ReamyPsychiatry | Beaufort | 223 | 115 | -48.4% |
| Lisa WischhusenPsychiatry | Greenville | 183 | 95 | -48.1% |
| Kathleen LundvallPsychiatry | Lexington | 281 | 151 | -46.3% |
| James BallengerPsychiatry & Neurology | Charleston | 35 | 19 | -45.7% |
| Taral SharmaPsychiatry | Anderson | 38 | 21 | -44.7% |
| Noel HuntPsychiatry & Neurology | Charleston | 212 | 119 | -43.9% |
| Daena PetersenPsychiatry & Neurology | Charleston | 143 | 82 | -42.7% |
| Lori BarwickPsychiatry | Spartanburg | 51 | 31 | -39.2% |
| John AbessPsychiatry | Charleston | 224 | 137 | -38.8% |
| Marian DehlingerPsychiatry | Sumter | 217 | 134 | -38.2% |
| Ayanna Swinton JamisonPsychiatry | Columbia | 780 | 487 | -37.6% |
| Barnwell MyersPsychiatry | Greenville | 4,631 | 3,037 | -34.4% |
| Khoa VoPsychiatry | Mt Pleasant | 480 | 317 | -34% |
| Alberto GonzalezPsychiatry | Orangeburg | 1,224 | 821 | -32.9% |
| Hayne McmeekinPsychiatry | Rock Hill | 1,740 | 1,176 | -32.4% |
| Mari AsperPsychiatry | North Charleston | 102 | 70 | -31.4% |
| Kellie BishopPsychiatry | Hilton Head Island | 380 | 263 | -30.8% |
| James KirklandPsychiatry | Columbia | 317 | 221 | -30.3% |
| Alfred EdwardsPsychiatry | Greenville | 158 | 112 | -29.1% |
| Gergana DimitrovaPsychiatry | Greer | 389 | 280 | -28% |
| Elizabeth JeffordsPsychiatry | Columbia | 147 | 109 | -25.9% |
| Kathy WaggettPsychiatry | Pickens | 47 | 35 | -25.5% |
| James RiddlePsychiatry | Columbia | 270 | 205 | -24.1% |
| Erik CantrellPsychiatry | Charleston | 153 | 117 | -23.5% |
| Kevin SpicerPsychiatry & Neurology | Charleston | 30 | 23 | -23.3% |
| Subba RaoPsychiatry | Columbia | 366 | 281 | -23.2% |
| Vina JainPsychiatry | Greenville | 299 | 230 | -23.1% |
| Adedapo OduwolePsychiatry | Myrtle Beach | 75 | 58 | -22.7% |
| John CastonPsychiatry | Spartanburg | 1,414 | 1,102 | -22.1% |
| Khizar KhanPsychiatry | Anderson | 348 | 271 | -22.1% |
| Sergio SanchezPsychiatry | Greer | 163 | 127 | -22.1% |
| Mario GalvarinoPsychiatry | Greenville | 2,984 | 2,337 | -21.7% |
| Alexandru CojanuPsychiatry | Greenville | 69 | 54 | -21.7% |
| David SherbondyNeuropsychiatry | Greenville | 336 | 264 | -21.4% |
| Jeffrey SmithPsychiatry | Greenville | 3,388 | 2,666 | -21.3% |
| John SteelePsychiatry | Columbia | 721 | 572 | -20.7% |
| Edmund ParsonsPsychiatry | Greenville | 171 | 136 | -20.5% |
| Jeanne MorrowPsychiatry | Greenville | 2,542 | 2,042 | -19.7% |
| Brittany SauerbornPsychiatry | Beaufort | 173 | 139 | -19.7% |
| Ernest HorresPsychiatry & Neurology | Charleston | 67 | 54 | -19.4% |
| Brittany RodgersPsychiatry | Greenville | 36 | 29 | -19.4% |
| Tammy ChenPsychiatry | Rock Hill | 1,417 | 1,148 | -19% |
| Laura RamesPsychiatry & Neurology | Charleston | 42 | 34 | -19% |
| Donna OrvinPsychiatry | Conway | 93 | 76 | -18.3% |
| Hope CromerPsychiatry | Greenville | 650 | 532 | -18.2% |
| David SteinerPsychiatry | Aiken | 1,717 | 1,441 | -16.1% |
| Christian NealPsychiatry | Columbia | 221 | 186 | -15.8% |
| Joseph McelweeGeriatric Psychiatry | Anderson | 253 | 214 | -15.4% |
| Michael KassurPsychiatry | Charleston | 176 | 150 | -14.8% |
| Rushiraj LaiwalaGeriatric Psychiatry | Columbia | 200 | 172 | -14% |
| Richard FordPsychiatry & Neurology | Bluffton | 165 | 142 | -13.9% |
| Timothy MalonePsychiatry | Columbia | 293 | 253 | -13.7% |
| Alfred EbertPsychiatry | Clinton | 1,011 | 884 | -12.6% |
| Alberto SantosPsychiatry & Neurology | Charleston | 49 | 43 | -12.2% |
| Kashfia HossainPsychiatry | Anderson | 1,205 | 1,067 | -11.5% |
| Merrie CherryPsychiatry | Lexington | 298 | 264 | -11.4% |
| Laura Rosenbaum-BloomPsychiatry | Hilton Head Island | 497 | 441 | -11.3% |
| James FordPsychiatry | Barnwell | 195 | 175 | -10.3% |
| Angela HarperPsychiatry | Columbia | 165 | 149 | -9.7% |
| David BeckertPsychiatry | Charleston | 73 | 66 | -9.6% |
| William FisherPsychiatry | Travelers Rest | 40 | 37 | -7.5% |
| Ricardo FermoPsychiatry & Neurology | Charleston | 469 | 440 | -6.2% |
| Kevin KrebsPsychiatry | Columbia | 1,787 | 1,681 | -5.9% |
| Robert SchnackenbergPsychiatry | Columbia | 726 | 690 | -5% |
| Evan VogelPsychiatry | Greenville | 147 | 140 | -4.8% |
| John BraggNeuropsychiatry | Columbia | 137 | 131 | -4.4% |
| John RobertsPsychiatry & Neurology | Mount Pleasant | 185 | 178 | -3.8% |
| Deborah MillingPsychiatry & Neurology | Mount Pleasant | 53 | 51 | -3.8% |
| Murray HonickPsychiatry | Myrtle Beach | 510 | 493 | -3.3% |
| Steven LopezPsychiatry | N Charleston | 278 | 269 | -3.2% |
| Sara MarcinoPsychiatry & Neurology | Charleston | 125 | 123 | -1.6% |
| Delfin ValitePsychiatry | Rock Hill | 760 | 752 | -1.1% |
| Michael WilcoxPsychiatry & Neurology | Charleston | 428 | 427 | -0.2% |
| Asa PharrPsychiatry | Charleston | 32 | 32 | 0% |
| Stephanie PricePsychiatry | Charleston | 21 | 21 | 0% |
| Joshua ThornhillPsychiatry | Columbia | 11 | 11 | 0% |
| Anthony TridicoPsychiatry | Greenville | 715 | 716 | +0.1% |
| Gariane GunterPsychiatry | Columbia | 553 | 554 | +0.2% |
| Tony GoodbarPsychiatry | Greenville | 507 | 514 | +1.4% |
| Renee LammPsychiatry | Myrtle Beach | 434 | 440 | +1.4% |
| Robert OrnelasPsychiatry | West Columbia | 2,585 | 2,634 | +1.9% |
| Thomas UpshawPsychiatry | Mount Pleasant | 523 | 534 | +2.1% |
| Lorraine DustanPsychiatry & Neurology | Charleston | 91 | 93 | +2.2% |
| Perry TrouchePsychiatry | North Charleston | 1,497 | 1,547 | +3.3% |
| Paul LowePsychiatry | Florence | 518 | 539 | +4.1% |
| Jeffrey StephensPsychiatry & Neurology | Greenville | 614 | 644 | +4.9% |
| Mary BoydPsychiatry | West Columbia | 183 | 192 | +4.9% |
| Brittany AlbrightPsychiatry | Charleston | 58 | 61 | +5.2% |
| Deborah LeverettePsychiatry & Neurology | Columbia | 403 | 425 | +5.5% |
| Phyllis Bryant-MobleyPsychiatry & Neurology | Columbia | 130 | 139 | +6.9% |
| James MazgajPsychiatry | Florence | 170 | 183 | +7.6% |
| Robert PaynePsychiatry | Charleston | 24 | 26 | +8.3% |
| Peter NaylorPsychiatry | North Charleston | 446 | 484 | +8.5% |
| Cynthia HopePsychiatry & Neurology | Mt Pleasant | 136 | 151 | +11% |
| Darlene MoakPsychiatry | Charleston | 283 | 319 | +12.7% |
| J MoorePsychiatry & Neurology | Greenville | 195 | 220 | +12.8% |
| Elena DlugachPsychiatry | Greenville | 23 | 26 | +13% |
| Praveen MadadiPsychiatry | Anderson | 13 | 15 | +15.4% |
| Patrick McarthurNeuropsychiatry | Mt Pleasant | 176 | 204 | +15.9% |
| Anil JunejaPsychiatry | Columbia | 998 | 1,164 | +16.6% |
| Don DubosePsychiatry | Columbia | 55 | 65 | +18.2% |
| Debbie WhitePsychiatry | Mt Pleasant | 102 | 121 | +18.6% |
| Violetta CzepowiczPsychiatry | Greenville | 67 | 80 | +19.4% |
| Aziz MohiuddinGeriatric Psychiatry | Columbia | 247 | 296 | +19.8% |
| Jane Watson AlfordPsychiatry | Columbia | 252 | 303 | +20.2% |
| Robert RichardsPsychiatry & Neurology | Greenville | 293 | 358 | +22.2% |
| Mahir ShahPsychiatry | Fort Mill | 314 | 387 | +23.2% |
| Thornton MckinneyPsychiatry | Columbia | 142 | 175 | +23.2% |
| Elmina SummerallPsychiatry | Charleston | 247 | 305 | +23.5% |
| Joseph WaltersPsychiatry & Neurology | Bluffton | 458 | 571 | +24.7% |
| David MeekerPsychiatry | Charleston | 642 | 809 | +26% |
| Kirk MeekinsNeuropsychiatry | Charleston | 478 | 608 | +27.2% |
| Louis DolinarPsychiatry | Greenville | 509 | 652 | +28.1% |
| Stephen EnnsPsychiatry | Aiken | 324 | 420 | +29.6% |
| Margarita WilkesPsychiatry | Charleston | 111 | 144 | +29.7% |
| Eman SharawyPsychiatry | Greenwood | 33 | 43 | +30.3% |
| Piave LakePsychiatry | Mt Pleasant | 68 | 89 | +30.9% |
| Marshall StatonPsychiatry | Myrtle Beach | 304 | 405 | +33.2% |
| John CusterPsychiatry | Charleston | 349 | 472 | +35.2% |
| Mohammed MemonPsychiatry | Greer | 66 | 90 | +36.4% |
| William WalkupPsychiatry | Columbia | 426 | 582 | +36.6% |
| Sudhakar MorthalaPsychiatry | Elgin | 66 | 91 | +37.9% |
| Christopher JonesPsychiatry | Summerville | 106 | 147 | +38.7% |
| Renu BhatiaPsychiatry | Greenville | 847 | 1,181 | +39.4% |
| Maria YuPsychiatry | Columbia | 17 | 24 | +41.2% |
| Samuel RosenPsychiatry | Charleston | 734 | 1,047 | +42.6% |
| Mary St.JohnPsychiatry | Beaufort | 122 | 176 | +44.3% |
| Srinivasa ReddyPsychiatry | Columbia | 198 | 306 | +54.5% |
| Vladimir MaleticPsychiatry & Neurology | Greer | 43 | 67 | +55.8% |
| Tarunendu DwivediPsychiatry | Rock Hill | 290 | 454 | +56.6% |
| Eduardo CifuentesPsychiatry | Charleston | 487 | 796 | +63.4% |
| John GentryPsychiatry | Charleston | 237 | 395 | +66.7% |
| Olga VictaPsychiatry | Conway | 287 | 485 | +69% |
| Calvert WarrenPsychiatry | Greenville | 24 | 42 | +75% |
| Emile BarroukPsychiatry | Greenwood | 66 | 122 | +84.8% |
| Mark FeinsteinPsychiatry | Bennettsville | 92 | 175 | +90.2% |
| Ilva IriartePsychiatry | Charleston | 210 | 414 | +97.1% |
| Pressley WarrickPsychiatry | Sumter | 122 | 242 | +98.4% |
| Allison SmithPsychiatry | Charleston | 21 | 43 | +104.8% |
| Mary BryanPsychiatry | Charleston | 15 | 31 | +106.7% |
| Theresa BishopPsychiatry | Greenwood | 78 | 174 | +123.1% |
| Sabitha AligetiPsychiatry | Camden | 119 | 272 | +128.6% |
| Daniel UderitzPsychiatry | Johns Island | 181 | 424 | +134.3% |
| George CowanPsychiatry | Florence | 57 | 138 | +142.1% |
| James HuchingsonPsychiatry & Neurology | Charleston | 51 | 127 | +149% |
| Victor EvansNeuropsychiatry | Lexington | 11 | 28 | +154.5% |
| Joshua FowlerPsychiatry | Columbia | 245 | 651 | +165.7% |
| Mary Theresa LaddNeuropsychiatry | Charleston | 27 | 88 | +225.9% |
| Howard KurtzmanPsychiatry & Neurology | Charleston | 31 | 102 | +229% |
| Matthew GaskinsPsychiatry | Columbia | 66 | 220 | +233.3% |
| Louis PapaPsychiatry | Charleston Afb | 19 | 70 | +268.4% |
| Belynda VeserPsychiatry | Greer | 23 | 86 | +273.9% |
| Christian OchonmaPsychiatry & Neurology | Greenville | 26 | 123 | +373.1% |
| Trimaine BrinkleyPsychiatry | Columbia | 12 | 58 | +383.3% |
| James FoxPsychiatry | Charleston | 180 | 883 | +390.6% |
| David FriedrichPsychiatry | Charleston | 58 | 347 | +498.3% |
| Robert BauerPsychiatry & Neurology | Florence | 86 | 561 | +552.3% |
| Anouchka DouyonPsychiatry & Neurology | Charleston | 12 | 95 | +691.7% |
| Eleanor SantyPsychiatry | Charleston | 49 | 486 | +891.8% |
| Jason KearnesPsychiatry | Columbia | — | 1,035 | — |
| Benjamin RamseyPsychiatry | Columbia | — | 432 | — |
| Kevin CromerPsychiatry | Spartanburg | — | 299 | — |
| Timothy ParkerPsychiatry & Neurology | Greenville | — | 290 | — |
| William LambertPsychiatry | Greenwood | — | 279 | — |
| Deana McreynoldsPsychiatry | Spartanburg | — | 241 | — |
| Pravina ShethPsychiatry | Orangeburg | — | 234 | — |
| Geetika DemblaPsychiatry | Greer | — | 198 | — |
| Maria JasinskasPsychiatry | Bluffton | — | 172 | — |
| Jared AtkinsonPsychiatry | Columbia | — | 168 | — |
| Geera DesaiPsychiatry | Greenville | — | 166 | — |
| Kisha HartwickPsychiatry | Greenville | — | 154 | — |
| Jennifer HayesAddiction Medicine | Charleston | — | 136 | — |
| Steven SindermanPsychiatry | North Charleston | — | 136 | — |
| Linda ThomasPsychiatry | Greenville | — | 128 | — |
| Christian GilbertAddiction Medicine | Little River | — | 126 | — |
| Gregory PostalPsychiatry | Charleston | — | 99 | — |
| Ebele CompeanPsychiatry | Charleston | — | 97 | — |
| Candiah ThiagarajahPsychiatry | Columbia | — | 95 | — |
| Philip BowmanPsychiatry | Florence | — | 89 | — |
| Glen ScottPsychiatry & Neurology | West Columbia | — | 86 | — |
| Dan LamPsychiatry | Greenville | — | 85 | — |
| Rodolfo Valverde HaeusslerPsychiatry | Greenville | — | 82 | — |
| Alicia GalloPsychiatry & Neurology | Charleston | — | 78 | — |
| Ryan RodePsychiatry & Neurology | Columbia | — | 74 | — |
| Gretchen EnrightPsychiatry | Aiken | — | 72 | — |
| Sarah DalechekPsychiatry & Neurology | Mount Pleasant | — | 69 | — |
| Rachel BratliePsychiatry | Charleston | — | 69 | — |
| Diana ThornePsychiatry | Columbia | — | 68 | — |
| Jimmy Pacheco-PerezPsychiatry | Columbia | — | 67 | — |
| Randi CurtissPsychiatry | Charleston | — | 65 | — |
| Robert BreenPsychiatry | Columbia | — | 64 | — |
| Lisa BosticPsychiatry | Greenville | — | 63 | — |
| Violeta NistorPsychiatry | Greenwood | — | 61 | — |
| Andrew BrowderPsychiatry & Neurology | Greenville | — | 61 | — |
| Consola Esambe LobwedePsychiatry | Greenville | — | 56 | — |
| Catherine CavenderPsychiatry & Neurology | Greer | — | 54 | — |
| Janis BrowningPsychiatry & Neurology | Spartanburg | — | 52 | — |
| Brandon KilgorePsychiatry | Columbia | — | 52 | — |
| Brooke AndersonPsychiatry & Neurology | Charleston | — | 52 | — |
| Melissa KannadayPsychiatry & Neurology | Columbia | — | 52 | — |
| Ethan WohlPsychiatry & Neurology | Charleston | — | 47 | — |
| Dillon BriggmanPsychiatry | Columbia | — | 47 | — |
| Nishanth KodumuriNeuropsychiatry | Columbia | — | 45 | — |
| Sarah WhelchelPsychiatry | Greenville | — | 44 | — |
| Christopher ShawlPsychiatry & Neurology | Greer | — | 42 | — |
| Divyakshi SolankiNeuropsychiatry | Charleston | — | 42 | — |
| Jeffrey CluverPsychiatry | Charleston | — | 41 | — |
| John BucklandPsychiatry | Columbia | — | 40 | — |
| Taylor FinchPsychiatry & Neurology | Greer | — | 39 | — |
| Lori GerdingPsychiatry | Moncks Corner | — | 36 | — |
| Anusuiya NagarPsychiatry | Greer | — | 33 | — |
| Melissa MacedaPsychiatry | Greenwood | — | 33 | — |
Showing the 250 largest reductions of 321 prescribers in South Carolina.
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 South Carolina
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 South Carolina?
It rose 2.5% between 2013 and 2024 in Medicare Part D — a slower fall than the country as a whole, where prescribing fell 12.9%. In 2024, South Carolina recorded 748,024 benzodiazepine claims across 150,158 patients.
How does South Carolina compare to other states?
South Carolina ranks 13 of 51 for prescribing intensity, at 4.98 benzodiazepine fills per patient per year, and 46 of 51 for the size of its decline since 2013 (1 being the steepest fall).
Which benzodiazepine is prescribed most in South Carolina?
Alprazolam, at 254,823 claims — 34.1% of the state's benzodiazepine prescribing in 2024. Next are Lorazepam (25%) and Clonazepam (23.4%).
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.