COBRA costs more than my rent, what did you do? - first time posting

The COBRA quote for my family is $550 a month and I do not know how to afford it. My spouse has a chronic condition, so dropping coverage feels risky. Is the decision time really that tight?

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.