COBRA quote is huge, any alternatives? - what worked for you?

I just got my COBRA paperwork and the deadline to decide is close. I have read a lot of threads here and could not find my exact situation. 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 11 months ago, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.