COBRA quote is huge, any alternatives? - 3 months and counting

I was offered COBRA and the monthly cost is more than I expected as a payroll clerk. I would rather hear the honest version than the polite one. I saw that marketplace plans might cost less. Is the decision time really that tight?

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 3 months ago, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.