Exhibit 2


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:          Gerald D. Stethem
                  Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
                  NCS HealthCare, Inc.
                  216-378-6808


               NCS HEALTHCARE RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS REJECT
                             OMNICARE'S TENDER OFFER

Beachwood, Ohio - (August 20, 2002) NCS HealthCare, Inc. (NCSS.OB) announced
today that its board of directors, after careful consideration, has determined
that Omnicare, Inc.'s (NYSE: OCR) August 8, 2002 $3.50 per share unsolicited
cash tender offer for all outstanding NCS Class A and Class B shares is not in
the best interests of NCS stakeholders.

ACCORDINGLY, THE NCS BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS REJECT THE OMNICARE
OFFER AND NOT TENDER THEIR SHARES IN THE OFFER.

The NCS board's determination that the Omnicare offer is not in the best
interests of NCS stakeholders was based on a number of factors including, among
others:

- -        THE OMNICARE OFFER IS HIGHLY CONDITIONAL. The Omnicare offer is subject
         to numerous conditions, many of which cannot be satisfied in light of
         the Company's previously announced merger agreement and related
         contractual arrangements with Genesis Health Ventures, Inc.

- -        THE OMNICARE OFFER IS ILLUSORY. In view of the numerous conditions to
         the Omnicare offer, many of which are vague or cannot be satisfied, and
         the fact that Omnicare reserves the right to determine, in its sole
         discretion, whether these conditions have been satisfied, the NCS board
         believes that the Omnicare offer is illusory and may be intended
         primarily to disrupt the Company's merger with Genesis.

- -        THE GENESIS MERGER IS MORE CERTAIN. Given the tenor and results of
         Omnicare's previous discussions with the Company, the NCS board
         believes that there is a much higher certainty of consummating the
         Genesis transaction (which provides for a full recovery for the
         Company's creditors and provides significant value to NCS equity
         holders), thereby increasing the likelihood that value will be

         delivered to NCS stakeholders.

- -        NO BINDING COMMITMENT TO DEBT HOLDERS. The Omnicare offer, in contrast
         to the Genesis merger, does not contain a binding commitment from
         Omnicare to provide a full recovery to the creditors of NCS, to whom
         the NCS board owes fiduciary duties.

- -        NO PARTICIPATION IN LONG-TERM APPRECIATION. The Omnicare offer does not
         provide NCS stockholders with the opportunity to participate in any
         long-term appreciation in the value of Omnicare.

ACCORDINGLY, THE NCS BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT HOLDERS OF NCS COMMON SHARES REJECT
THE OMNICARE OFFER AND NOT TENDER THEIR SHARES PURSUANT TO THE OMNICARE OFFER.

NCS HealthCare, Inc. is a leading provider of pharmaceutical and related
services to long-term care facilities, including skilled nursing centers,
assisted living facilities and hospitals. NCS serves approximately 203,000
residents of long-term care facilities in 33 states and manages hospital
pharmacies in 14 states.

In connection with the upcoming special meeting of stockholders relating to NCS
HealthCare's proposed merger with Genesis Health Ventures, Inc. and the tender
offer from Omnicare, Inc. described above, NCS HealthCare, Inc. will be filing
certain materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including a proxy
statement and a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9.
SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THESE MATERIALS WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE
BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors and security holders
may obtain a free copy of these materials when they become available, as well as
other materials filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission concerning
NCS HealthCare, Inc., at the Securities and Exchange Commission's website at
http://www.sec.gov. In addition, these materials and other documents may be
obtained for free from NCS HealthCare, Inc. by directing a request to NCS
HealthCare, Inc. at 3201 Enterprise Parkway, Suite 220, Beachwood, Ohio 44122;
Attn: Investor Relations. NCS HealthCare, Inc. and its directors and executive
officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from
the Company's stockholders with respect to the special meeting described above.
Information concerning such participants will be contained in NCS HealthCare's
proxy statement relating to the proposed merger with Genesis Health Ventures,
Inc. when it becomes available.


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