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

I just got my COBRA paperwork and the deadline to decide is close. There are 4 people counting on me, so I am trying to be careful. My old employer will not help with the premium. Is the decision time really that tight?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 11 months ago, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.

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.