FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * BALLARD WILLIAM C JR   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol HEALTH CARE REIT INC /DE/ [HCN] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O HEALTH CARE REIT, INC., 4500 DORR STREET 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 05/06/2012 (Street) TOLEDO, OH 43615 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 05/06/2012   M   164 A $ 0 (1) 18,018 D   Common Stock               6,700 I Charitable Remainder Trust (2) Common Stock               1,800 I Charitable Remainder Trust (3) Common Stock               1,800 I Charitable Remainder Trust (4) Common Stock               5,000 I Ownership by Spouse (5)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Deferred Stock Units

$ 0 (6)

05/06/2012

M

164

05/06/2012(6)

05/06/2012(6)

Common

164 (1)

$ 0 (6)

3,686 (7)

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
BALLARD WILLIAM C JR C/O HEALTH CARE REIT, INC. 4500 DORR STREET TOLEDO, OH 43615	X

Signatures

By: Erin C. Ibele Attorney-in-Fact For: William C. Ballard, Jr.		05/08/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	The reported transaction was a vesting of 164 deferred stock units on May 6, 2012, resulting in the issuance of 164 shares of common stock. No amount was payable in connection with the vesting or the common stock issuance.
(2)	William C. Ballard, Jr. Trustee Charitable Remainder Trust #1 for the benefit of Julie W. Ballard.
(3)	William C. Ballard, Jr. Trustee Charitable Remainder Trust #2 for the benefit of Elizabeth Ballard Lebhar.
(4)	William C. Ballard Jr. Trustee Charitable Remainder Trust #3 for the benefit of William C. Ballard, III.
(5)	Indirect Ownership by Spouse, Julie W. Ballard.
(6)	These deferred stock units were granted without cash consideration on May 6, 2010 under the Amended and Restated Health Care REIT, Inc. 2005 Long-Term Incentive Plan. Each deferred stock unit represents a right to receive one share of common stock of Health Care REIT, Inc. at the time of vesting of the unit. These deferred stock units vest in three installments, with 164 units having vested on May 6 of each of 2011 and 2012 and 163 units vesting on May 6, 2013.
(7)	Includes (i) 577 deferred stock units granted on January 28, 2010, vesting on January 28, 2013; (ii) 163 deferred stock units granted on May 6, 2010, vesting on May 6, 2013; (iii) 1,288 deferred stock units granted on January 27, 2011, with 644 units vesting on January 27 of each of 2013 and 2014; and (iv) 1,658 deferred stock units granted on January 26, 2012, with 553 units vesting on January 26 of each of 2013 and 2014 and 552 deferred stock units vesting on January 26, 2015.

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