COBRA costs more than my rent, what did you do?

The COBRA quote for my family is $1150 a month and I do not know how to afford it. I worked as a hotel front-desk agent before this. My spouse has a chronic condition, so dropping coverage feels risky. How did you decide?

A quick call to the plan's member line cleared up two things for us that the letter did not.

I priced both side by side: total yearly cost, doctors in network and the deductible. Marketplace was cheaper for us, but only because our doctors were covered.