Is NYS Medicaid required to pay public health insurance premiums for 3 months prior to medicaid coverage?

I was approved for Medicaid on Julu 2009. I am on unemployment. For the past year I was paying my own premiums to Healthy New York, a state insurance plan. Is Medicaid required to pay 3 months prior to being covered by Medicaid. I have been unemployed for the past year but my benefit rate was too high to qualify for Medicaid.
Eileen