COBRA quote is huge, any alternatives? - 13 months and counting

I just got my COBRA paperwork and the deadline to decide is close. I saw that marketplace plans might cost less. How did you decide?

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

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 13 months ago, and it settled down once I kept a simple log of every call and form.