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 * TRUMBULL R SCOTT   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., ONE SEAGATE, SUITE 1500 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 05/16/2006 (Street) TOLEDO, OH 43604 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 05/16/2006   M   1,666 A $ 25.82 28,406.5535 D   Common Stock               5,964.9697 I IRRA (1)

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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

Option (RIght to Buy)

$ 25.82

05/16/2006

M

1,666

01/28/2006(2)

01/28/2013

Common

1,666 (2)

$ 0 (3)

0

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
TRUMBULL R SCOTT C/O HEALTH CARE REIT, INC. ONE SEAGATE, SUITE 1500 TOLEDO, OH 43604	X

Signatures

By: Erin C. Ibele Attorney-in-Fact For: R. Scott Trumbull		05/18/2006
**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)	Richard Scott Trumbull IRRA for benefit of Richard Scott Trumbull
(2)	Options for the purchase of 5,000 shares of common stock at $25.82 per share were granted to Mr. Trumbull on January 28, 2003, which grant has previously been reported. The partial exercise of these options for the purchase of 3,334 shares has previously been reported. Of the remaining options, options for the purchase of 1,666 shares vested on January 28, 2006.
(3)	The options were granted under the Health Care REIT, Inc. 1997 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors and had no acquisition price.

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