COBRA quote is huge, any alternatives? (update)

I just got my COBRA paperwork and the deadline to decide is close. I do not usually post, so bear with me. I saw that marketplace plans might cost less. Is the decision time really that tight?

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.

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