<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0000874265 <NAME> GENESIS HEALTH VENTURES <MULTIPLIER> 1 <CURRENCY> US <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1999 <PERIOD-START> OCT-01-1998 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1999 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <CASH> 14,698,000 <SECURITIES> 24,175,000 <RECEIVABLES> 457,308,000 <ALLOWANCES> 56,903,000 <INVENTORY> 65,798,000 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 606,688,000 <PP&E> 775,867,000 <DEPRECIATION> 151,179,000 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,698,426,000 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 236,672,000 <BONDS> 0 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 6,000 <COMMON> 723,000 <OTHER-SE> 866,238,000 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 2,698,426,000 <SALES> 1,408,911,000 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 1,408,911,000 <CGS> 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 1,215,416,000 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 75,094,000 <LOSS-PROVISION> 9,701,000 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 85,295,000 <INCOME-PRETAX> 23,405,000 <INCOME-TAX> 10,851,000 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 12,554,000 <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> (2,100,000) <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> (11,278,000) <EPS-BASIC> (0.32) <EPS-DILUTED> (0.32)