COBRA quote is huge, any alternatives? after 3 years as a graphic designer

The COBRA quote for my family is $650 a month and I do not know how to afford it. I would rather hear the honest version than the polite one. I saw that marketplace plans might cost less.

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 got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.