COBRA is just you paying the rate your employer negotiated with their benefits broker without them covering a portion of it.

Health insurance shouldn't be tied to employment but the bigger issue is that private health insurance is just a parasitic middle man that restricts where you can get care all while exploiting you, your employer and the care providers.

My COBRA cost $100/month less than ACA, so I guess I'm grateful?

Anyway, you can negotiate COBRA reimbursement when changing jobs. I've done it twice. Just throwing it out there. Can't help you if your next job is retirement or something