COBRA quote is huge, any alternatives? (update)

The COBRA quote for my family is $250 a month and I do not know how to afford it. Any experience at all would help. My old employer will not help with the premium. Is the decision time really that tight?

If you have a planned treatment, COBRA can make sense for a few months. Otherwise look at the marketplace first.

I priced both side by side: total yearly cost, doctors in network and the deductible. Marketplace was cheaper for us, but only because our doctors were covered.