UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d)

of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 31, 2014

Health Care REIT, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	1-8923	34-1096634
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

4500 Dorr Street, Toledo, Ohio	43615
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (419) 247-2800

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On July 31, 2014, the Board of Directors approved several executive promotions, title changes and expansions of roles, including Jeffrey H. Miller becoming EVP- Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. Biographical information concerning Mr. Miller is set forth in the Company’s most recent definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A for the year ended December 31, 2013, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 21, 2014, and as supplemented and filed on April 14, 2014. A description of Mr. Miller’s responsibilities, as well as information about other executive promotions, title changes and expansions of roles, are set forth in the Company’s press release dated August 6, 2014 and attached to this Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure

On August 6, 2014, the Company issued a press release to announce several executive promotions, title changes and expansions of roles. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information contained in, or incorporated into, Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 attached hereto, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference into any registration statement or other filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference to such filing.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

99.1 Press release issued on August 6, 2014

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

HEALTH CARE REIT, INC.
By:	/s/ THOMAS J. DEROSA
Name:	Thomas J. DeRosa
Title:	Chief Executive Officer

Dated: August 6, 2014