Health insurance gap after a layoff after 12 years as a social media manager

My employer coverage ended at the end of the month and I am trying to work out what to do as a social media manager. This is my first time dealing with any of this. The COBRA notice arrived with a very high price. What did you choose and how was the process?

A free navigator at a community health centre walked me through my options. It took an hour and saved me a lot of guessing.