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

The COBRA quote for my family is $1150 a month and I do not know how to afford it. It has been weighing on me all week. My old employer will not help with the premium. 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.