COBRA quote is huge, any alternatives? after 14 years as a bank teller

I was offered COBRA and the monthly cost is more than I expected as a bank teller. My old employer will not help with the premium. 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 last year, and it settled down once I kept a simple log of every call and form.