<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0000874265 <NAME> GENESIS HEALTH VENTURES, INC. <CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS <PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-2000 <PERIOD-START> OCT-01-1999 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-2000 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <CASH> 22,948,000 <SECURITIES> 27,899,000 <RECEIVABLES> 524,634,000 <ALLOWANCES> (78,020,000) <INVENTORY> 65,637,000 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 617,321,000 <PP&E> 1,357,667,000 <DEPRECIATION> (250,321,000) <TOTAL-ASSETS> 3,127,899,000 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 313,080,000 <BONDS> 0 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 442,820,000 <PREFERRED> 6,000 <COMMON> 973,000 <OTHER-SE> (247,905,000) <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 3,127,899,000 <SALES> 2,433,858,000 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 2,433,858,000 <CGS> 534,960,000 <TOTAL-COSTS> 2,572,138,000 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 155,085,000 <LOSS-PROVISION> 490,717,000 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 203,570,000 <INCOME-PRETAX> (987,652,000) <INCOME-TAX> (27,168,000) <INCOME-CONTINUING> (873,043,000) <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> (10,412,000) <NET-INCOME> (883,455,000) <EPS-BASIC> (18.77) <EPS-DILUTED> (18.77)