Should be noted that in most cases your employer would cover most of that premium. My insurance went from $10/month (with my employer covering $580) to $590/month on COBRA when I was laid off.
As a mid 20's single male, I had the same experience. My premiums were fully paid by my employer, so it was quite a shock when the COBRA paperwork came stating the monthly cost would be almost $600/month.
As a mid-45 male with a wife and kid, my cobra 5 years ago was $1200/month, and I was glad to pay it. 14,000 a year is nothing compared to one major incident involving a hospital.
