Medicare Part D prescriptions for benzodiazepines (BZDs) for patients over age 65 increased from 1.7 million to 3.1 million prescriptions between 2017 and 2023, an increase of more than 80%, although prescriptions decreased by about 1 million in the US overall. The most frequently prescribed BZDs were alprazolam, lorazepam and clonazepam, which accounted for 88% of all prescriptions. Psychiatrists were the largest prescribing specialty with the largest increase, while the US Southeast had the highest utilization rate at about 25 prescriptions per 100 beneficiaries. In 2023, psychiatrists were more likely to prescribe BZD for more than 30 days compared to nurses or physician assistants, but less likely than family practice, internal medicine or geriatrics providers. Compared to California, 13 states had a significantly higher risk of prescribing more than 30 days, and 5 states had a lower risk. Despite the recommendations of the Beers criteria, which do not recommend BZD in the elderly and limit it to 30 days, the average length was 108 days per recipient in all years.