Benzodiazepine Prescribing in South Dakota
Medicare Part D, 2013–2024.
Benzodiazepine prescribing in South Dakota fell 5.4% between 2013 and 2024 — a slower fall than the country as a whole. In 2024 the state recorded 84,482 Medicare Part D benzodiazepine claims across 17,345 patients, an average of 4.87 fills per patient per year, which ranks 20 of 51 states. Lorazepam accounts for 36% of it.
South Dakota over twelve years
Which benzodiazepines South Dakota prescribes
| Drug | Claims 2024 | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Lorazepam | 30,427 | 36% |
| Clonazepam | 26,065 | 30.9% |
| Alprazolam | 18,208 | 21.6% |
| Diazepam | 5,908 | 7% |
| Temazepam | 3,210 | 3.8% |
Psychiatric prescribers in South Dakota
44 psychiatric prescribers in South Dakota appear in the 2024 Medicare Part D data with benzodiazepine claims. 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel HicksPsychiatry | Yankton | 468 | 79 | -83.1% |
| William FullerPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | 935 | 283 | -69.7% |
| Alan BrevikPsychiatry | Yankton | 455 | 175 | -61.5% |
| Stephen ManlovePsychiatry | Rapid City | 115 | 51 | -55.7% |
| Adam OpbroekPsychiatry | Spearfish | 232 | 112 | -51.7% |
| Sarah FlynnPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | 54 | 27 | -50% |
| Mackenzie MertzPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | 83 | 45 | -45.8% |
| Sandra Peynado RojasPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | 78 | 60 | -23.1% |
| James ChiuPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | 699 | 568 | -18.7% |
| Charles LordPsychiatry | Rapid City | 425 | 351 | -17.4% |
| Harry HamlynPsychiatry | Rapid City | 1,215 | 1,108 | -8.8% |
| Elizabeth Grace-CruzPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | 15 | 14 | -6.7% |
| David SchlagelPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | 293 | 275 | -6.1% |
| Hari KannanPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | 93 | 89 | -4.3% |
| Berne BahnsonPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | 1,096 | 1,109 | +1.2% |
| Meredith PowellPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | 513 | 525 | +2.3% |
| Richard RenkaPsychiatry | Rapid City | 1,192 | 1,266 | +6.2% |
| Josette LindahlPsychiatry | Yankton | 44 | 48 | +9.1% |
| Timothy SoundyPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | 60 | 67 | +11.7% |
| Rajesh SinghPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | 1,623 | 1,832 | +12.9% |
| Michael BerganPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | 282 | 362 | +28.4% |
| Robert NussPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | 119 | 272 | +128.6% |
| Christopher HanleyPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | 141 | 329 | +133.3% |
| Georgiana NussPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | 128 | 344 | +168.8% |
| Keely ElgethunPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | 16 | 64 | +300% |
| Xiaofan LiPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | — | 619 | — |
| Justin VandermeidPsychiatry | Aberdeen | — | 561 | — |
| Jennifer OligmuellerPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | — | 465 | — |
| Robert GiebinkPsychiatry | Watertown | — | 134 | — |
| Francis BandettiniPsychiatry & Neurology | Sioux Falls | — | 126 | — |
| Erica NorthPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | — | 100 | — |
| Janice GerlachPsychiatry | Platte | — | 68 | — |
| Thomas JewittPsychiatry | Fort Meade | — | 67 | — |
| Joshua ReiderPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | — | 56 | — |
| Ami GarriganNeuropsychiatry | Hot Springs | — | 38 | — |
| Hallie AndersonPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | — | 29 | — |
| Anthony VacaPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | — | 25 | — |
| David WhaleyPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | — | 24 | — |
| Seth ParsonsPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | — | 23 | — |
| Grace CaldwellPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | — | 20 | — |
| Jacob MathyPsychiatry & Neurology | Sioux Falls | — | 15 | — |
| Brenden KruckenbergPsychiatry & Neurology | Sioux Falls | — | 14 | — |
| Lisa AmiottePsychiatry & Neurology | Sioux Falls | — | 12 | — |
| Natalie ArmijoPsychiatry | Sioux Falls | — | 11 | — |
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 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 South Dakota?
It fell 5.4% 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 Dakota recorded 84,482 benzodiazepine claims across 17,345 patients.
How does South Dakota compare to other states?
South Dakota ranks 20 of 51 for prescribing intensity, at 4.87 benzodiazepine fills per patient per year, and 38 of 51 for the size of its decline since 2013 (1 being the steepest fall).
Which benzodiazepine is prescribed most in South Dakota?
Lorazepam, at 30,427 claims — 36% of the state's benzodiazepine prescribing in 2024. Next are Clonazepam (30.9%) and Alprazolam (21.6%).
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.