<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0000874265 <NAME> GENESIS HEALTH VENTURES, INC. <MULTIPLIER> 1 <CURRENCY> US <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1999 <PERIOD-START> OCT-1-1998 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1999 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <CASH> 7,025,000 <SECURITIES> 23,950,000 <RECEIVABLES> 467,516,000 <ALLOWANCES> (61,009,000) <INVENTORY> 66,551,000 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 603,701,000 <PP&E> 757,199,000 <DEPRECIATION> (141,660,000) <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,678,414,000 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 227,733,000 <BONDS> 0 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 6,000 <COMMON> 704,000 <OTHER-SE> 867,887,000 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 2,678,414,000 <SALES> 943,823,000 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 943,823,000 <CGS> 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 402,708,000 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 0 <LOSS-PROVISION> 9,701,000 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 55,780,000 <INCOME-PRETAX> 18,032,000 <INCOME-TAX> 7,950,000 <INCOME-CONTINUING> (3,806,000) <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> (2,100,000) <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> (5,906,000) <EPS-PRIMARY> (.17) <EPS-DILUTED> (.17)