COBRA quote is huge, any alternatives? - 8 months and counting

I just got my COBRA paperwork and the deadline to decide is close. This is my first time dealing with any of this. My spouse has a chronic condition, so dropping coverage feels risky. How did you decide?

A quick call to the plan's member line cleared up two things for us that the letter did not.

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.