COBRA quote is huge, any alternatives?

The COBRA quote for my family is $150 a month and I do not know how to afford it. There are 7 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 last year, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.