COBRA quote is huge, any alternatives? - any advice?

I was offered COBRA and the monthly cost is more than I expected as a security officer. I would rather hear the honest version than the polite one. My spouse has a chronic condition, so dropping coverage feels risky. Did anyone switch mid-year?

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.