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

I was offered COBRA and the monthly cost is more than I expected as a web developer. There are 18 people counting on me, so I am trying to be careful. My spouse has a chronic condition, so dropping coverage feels risky. 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.