COBRA costs more than my rent, what did you do? after 18 years as a customer-service rep

I was offered COBRA and the monthly cost is more than I expected as a customer-service rep. This is my first time dealing with any of this. My spouse has a chronic condition, so dropping coverage feels risky. Is the decision time really that tight?

Check what the notice says about the election period and when coverage starts. Mine allowed a short window to choose.

If you have a planned treatment, COBRA can make sense for a few months. Otherwise look at the marketplace first.