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

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

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