it can be cheaper that way for a lot of reasons, you might not be in network, your insurance might not want to cover it, there might be a million other factors, often times it’s just easier, and cheaper to go somewhere else, do that shit, pay out of pocket, go home, feel better, and then start working again.
Generally people aren’t too keen on working when trying to figure out if they have cancer or something, for example.
Generally when someone claims that insurance just chooses not to cover stuff that’s a good sign they don’t anyhting about insurance here.