-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 VuerjSHxnbYZhRhyMCEb8+jpo1xxSQ8sla79FHm/2X50JVc+oHDq95qq3npKvQoq
 +qVf13ifAoqYON91Nipvog==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-03-016777.txt : 20030812
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-03-016777.hdr.sgml : 20030812
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030812190101
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-03-016777
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4/A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030807
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030812

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			LANEY SANDRA E
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001224641

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4/A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-08269
		FILM NUMBER:		03838784

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O OMNICARE INC
		STREET 2:		100 E RIVER CENTER BLVD 16TH FLOOR
		CITY:			COVINGTON
		STATE:			KY
		ZIP:			41011
		BUSINESS PHONE:		8593923317

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			OMNICARE INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000353230
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	RETAIL-DRUG STORES AND PROPRIETARY STORES [5912]
		IRS NUMBER:				311001351
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		100 E RIVERCENTER BLVD
		STREET 2:		STE 1600
		CITY:			COVINGTON
		STATE:			KY
		ZIP:			41101
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6063923300

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		100 E RIVERCENTER BLVD
		STREET 2:		STE 1600
		CITY:			COVINGTON
		STATE:			KY
		ZIP:			41101
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4a.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4/A SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-07</periodOfReport><dateOfOriginalSubmission>2003-08-07</dateOfOriginalSubmission><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000353230</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>OMNICARE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NYSE: OCR</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001224641</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LANEY SANDRA E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>255 E. FIFTH STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 2600</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CINCINNATI</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OH</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>45202</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-07</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>557</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>33.3</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>33498</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directO
rIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-07</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>8440</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>33.33</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>54048</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Family</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDeriv
ativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">This transaction was omitted from the Form 4 for Sandra E. Laney filed on 08/07/2003.</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>SANDRA E. LANEY


/s/ Thomas Marsh, Attorney-in-fact for Sandra E. Laney (POA on file)</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-12</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----