Wife lost job, my employer plan options seem much worse

This is my first time navigating the US healthcare system, and I'm pretty lost. Advice much appreciated.

We have always had family insurance through my wife's job with a big company. We paid about $6k a year for Aetna Choice POS II including Delta dental and VSP Plus vision. It seems to have been a reasonable plan for us, $7k family OOP, 80% in network coverage and 60% out of network. No need for a referral.

Unfortunately she lost her job and we've got to submit a life event to get onto my insurance.

The closest seems to be Aetna PPO 1000, which is $9k family OOP, 80% in network coverage. The cost of this is $26k a year including dental and vision, including a $12k employer contribution (so plan costs $38k overall).

Am I right in understanding that these plans are similar, but the cost to us has just quadrupled? It's rough enough to lose our double income, but then to lose another $26k a year is brutal. It might be possible to downgrade our health insurance, but we are a family of 3 and are getting a bit older, so starting to max out the OOP.

submitted by /u/thebemusedmuse
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