NHS counts £900 million cost of treating EU visitors The figures do not include treatment for those who migrate to this country from elsewhere in Europe. Other countries include Italy, which received £11m but returned £850,000; Greece, which collected £8m and paid back £500,000; and Spain, which received £247m while sending Britain £3.2m. Julia Manning, chief executive of the independent research think tank 2020health said: "The fact that the NHS fails to keep proper records of overseas visitors who come here from the EU is indicative of two problems: the reluctance of staff to think of the NHS as a business that should be run as efficiently as possible, and a system which depends on governments chasing reimbursement, rather than visitors paying up front and being responsible for ensuring they are repaid." The Department of Health said that some of the difference could be explained by the fact that more pensioners from the UK retire overseas, yet are classed as "non-permanent residents" - meaning EU countries can claim payment for their healthcare - while fewer foreign pensioners come to the UK to retire. EU migrants who work in the UK are classified as being resident here and qualify for free NHS health care, meaning that if they travel back to their homeland for health care they are considered UK citizens and the bill is sent back here to be picked up by the NHS. A spokesman for the Department of Health said: "Last year we began a wholesale review of the current system to address concerns about access, cut down abuse and consider how best to ensure those who should pay do so. We are looking at a range of options and will set out proposals in due course.