Dealing with a mental health condition can be challenging enough without other things on your to-do list. You may be having overwhelming symptoms, trying to keep up with your day-to-day life and looking for moments of respite when you can find them. Managing to find treatment in the middle of all of this can be tough.

It may be easier with basic information about coverage and local options. Here, we’ll go over Healthfirst insurance coverage for medication management. Then, you can find out about ReKlame Health’s services, some medication options and a few resources.

Read answers to common questions

New to Healthfirst? Looking into mental health care coverage for the first time? You don’t have to stress about it. We can help you find out:

• What is Healthfirst?

Healthfirst is a health insurance provider in New York. In 2025, it served approximately 2 million people. It offers a variety of plans, including Medicaid, Medicare Advantage plans and other options.

• What does Healthfirst cover?

Your coverage depends on your plan. Healthfirst’s Essential Plans have prescription drug coverage. Your plan may also cover virtual mental health care with a ReKlame provider.

• How can you find out about your coverage?

You can learn about what your plan provides here and find pharmacies here. If you have additional questions about your Healthfirst coverage, you can read the organization’s Frequently Asked Questions or contact Healthfirst online, through an app or by phone.

• Who accepts Healthfirst for medication management?

We accept Healthfirst at ReKlame. If you reach out to us, you can find an available appointment in as few as 48 hours. Plus, your provider will be a psychiatric nurse practitioner working as one half of a care team. The other member of your care team will be a care navigator, someone who is here to make your treatment experience easier.

ReKlame can manage prescriptions

When you meet with one of our psychiatric nurse practitioners, you can talk through your experiences, symptoms or concerns. They can:

• Build a thorough understanding of your mental health
• Discuss what you want to get out of treatment
• Determine whether a diagnosis is needed
• Explain what your options for treatment may be
• Offer information on medication and medication management
• Provide prescriptions for psychiatric medication if needed
• Adjust medications or dosages as needed
• Monitor your progress in treatment and provide additional support

This will be online and completely confidential. You don’t have to deal with finding time for both an appointment and a commute when all of our care is outpatient and virtual.

What kind of medication might be prescribed?

The medication that may help you depends on your specific symptoms, your goals for treatment and your history. A Healthfirst/Medicaid-covered provider may provide several types of medication, like antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, mood stabilizers, ADHD medications or medication-assisted treatment (MAT) prescriptions.

Antidepressants may be used to treat more than depressive disorders. A professional may prescribe antidepressants for anxiety disorders or trauma-related disorders.

The group of depressive disorders includes major depressive disorder, which can consist of continuous depression or intermittent depressive episodes. It may be seasonal. If you are a parent, it may have peripartum onset.

This group also includes persistent depressive disorder, formerly called dysthymia, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). PMDD is a form of depression that arises before a menstrual period, near the end of the menstrual cycle, and eases when a menstrual period begins.

Many anxiety disorders may be treated with antidepressants, like generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and social anxiety disorder. Antidepressants may also be used to ease the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and similar conditions connected to trauma or stressors. 

Some of the options for antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like sertraline, sold under the brand name Zoloft. Others are serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), bupropion, atypical antidepressants, tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). If antidepressants may be appropriate for you, you have many options to explore with a psychiatric nurse practitioner.

Another range of medications may be helpful for anxiety. These include hydroxyzine, buspirone and benzodiazepines. Hydroxyzine is an antihistamine that can be used to reduce anxiety. Buspirone, sold as Buspar, may provide anxiety relief. Benzodiazepines might be used to treat panic attacks or help you through high-anxiety moments (like public speaking, plane rides or dental appointments). However, benzodiazepines must be used carefully because they carry a higher risk of dependence.

The antidepressants above may be used to treat depressive disorders that are unipolar, meaning that they aren’t marked by hypomanic or manic symptoms. However, different medications may be useful to treat bipolar I or bipolar II disorder. These are mood stabilizers.

The class of mood stabilizers includes lithium and anticonvulsants. Anticonvulsants are medications with two uses: the treatment of epilepsy and the treatment of bipolar disorders. If you have bipolar disorder, you may also hear about additional medication like antipsychotics from your psychiatric nurse practitioner. They can provide more information about all of your options.

If you show signs of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), your psychiatric nurse practitioner may provide an assessment. They might conclude that medication could be helpful to you. Some of the more well-known medications for ADHD are stimulants like methylphenidate (Ritalin) or amphetamine salts (Adderall). However, there are more options, including nonstimulant medications like atomoxetine (Strattera) or the antidepressant bupropion (Wellbutrin).

Lastly, your psychiatric nurse practitioner is equipped to provide MAT for alcohol use disorder or opioid use disorder. They can provide a careful plan to minimize your withdrawal symptoms and give you a solid foundation to build a healthier lifestyle on. They can also help you manage, reduce or discontinue your use of substances that MAT isn’t available for. Two examples of these are stimulants and cannabinoids.

What else can a ReKlame professional do for you?

A professional like a care navigator can help you identify additional resources. Some of these may be covered by Medicaid; others may be free or low-cost resources available to the public like support groups.

You may be able to:

• Learn about local resources in your area or online from your care navigator
• Meet people with similar experiences in peer support groups like National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) groups, including Spanish-language groups
• Give and receive support in addiction-related groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous or SMART Recovery
• Find out about support for loved ones like NAMI Family Support Group or Al-Anon Family Groups
• Discover ways to improve your mental health and build a healthier lifestyle

You can also use our online resources, like our blog articles. You can learn about emotional regulation skills, common barriers to mental health care or signs that online mental health care could be right for you.

Reach out to ReKlame today

Ready to take the first step? You’ve got this and we’re here to support you. We can answer your questions about insurance coverage. Give our care team a call today for more information, check your eligibility for free online or book an initial appointment online.