<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0000874265 <NAME> GENESIS HEALTH VENTURES, INC. <CURRENCY> USD <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1999 <PERIOD-START> OCT-01-1999 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1999 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <CASH> 20,699,000 <SECURITIES> 35,609,000 <RECEIVABLES> 571,387,000 <ALLOWANCES> (98,535,000) <INVENTORY> 69,500,000 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 663,038,000 <PP&E> 1,420,904,000 <DEPRECIATION> (204,822,000) <TOTAL-ASSETS> 3,546,350,000 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 361,693,000 <BONDS> 0 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 423,335,000 <PREFERRED> 6,000 <COMMON> 748,000 <OTHER-SE> 186,691,000 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 3,546,350,000 <SALES> 586,884,000 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 586,884,000 <CGS> 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 513,414,000 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 7,720,000 <LOSS-PROVISION> 420,000,000 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 52,776,000 <INCOME-PRETAX> (445,671,000) <INCOME-TAX> (7,280,000) <INCOME-CONTINUING> (439,770,000) <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> (10,412,000) <NET-INCOME> (450,182,000) <EPS-BASIC> (10.62) <EPS-DILUTED> (10.62)