<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0000874265 <NAME> GENESIS HEALTH VENTURES, INC. <CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLAR <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1999 <PERIOD-START> OCT-01-1999 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-2000 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <CASH> 50,855,000 <SECURITIES> 30,009,000 <RECEIVABLES> 565,534,000 <ALLOWANCES> (94,392,000) <INVENTORY> 59,428,000 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 670,966,000 <PP&E> 1,441,294,000 <DEPRECIATION> (225,441,000) <TOTAL-ASSETS> 3,537,072,000 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 2,490,470,000 <BONDS> 0 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 429,793,000 <PREFERRED> 6,000 <COMMON> 748,000 <OTHER-SE> 131,423,000 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 3,537,072,000 <SALES> 1,191,727,000 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 1,191,727,000 <CGS> 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 1,044,727,000 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 77,168,000 <LOSS-PROVISION> 464,113,000 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 109,502,000 <INCOME-PRETAX> (503,783,000) <INCOME-TAX> (15,735,000) <INCOME-CONTINUING> (494,702,000) <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> (10,412,000) <NET-INCOME> (505,114,000) <EPS-BASIC> (10.87) <EPS-DILUTED> (11.10)