Yes, I did get the reasoning behind the statement. I just think those who subscribe to it aren't thinking it through. As always, no offence intended.
Basically, when a compel comes up, you get two options.
Accept It
This is the scenario you are talking about it. You have to face the complication (bad) but you get a fate point(good). Basically, this option is cost-neutral.
Reject It
You now have to pay a fate point(bad). And... there's no upside, at least compared to if there was no compel in the first place.
See what I mean? When a compel comes up, at the very, absolute best it's as you describe - cost-neutral. At it's very worst, its an black hole for fate points, that can never be fully satisfied as long as the possibility of compels remain. Since most games will fall somewhere in the middle, the compels are most certainly not cost-neutral. The sole exception is if you're playing a game where compels never do any worse than just a minor slap on the wrist or even outright give you a benefit - in which case, should you really be getting fate points for them?