-----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,
 U3iqpGKGU2alL3iGb8nWqp62JI1FQxqdS918NiTKKtcJMeNcIwRERFrL3pwYnLya
 JcQ+qmmKQAgY+TBT8/I1ZA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-03-014949.txt : 20030801
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-03-014949.hdr.sgml : 20030801
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030801150235
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-03-014949
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030801
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030801

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HEALTH CARE REIT INC /DE/
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000766704
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS [6798]
		IRS NUMBER:				341096634
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE SEAGATE STE 1500
		STREET 2:		P O BOX 1475
		CITY:			TOLEDO
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			43604
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4192472800

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			IBELE ERIN C
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001242821

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-08923
		FILM NUMBER:		03817795

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5347 FOX RUN
		CITY:			TOLEDO
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			43623
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4198821262
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-01</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000766704</issuerCik><issuerName>HEALTH CARE REIT INC /DE/</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>HCN</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001242821</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>IBELE ERIN C</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>ONE SEAGATE</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1500</rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>TOLEDO</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>OH</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>43604</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>VP &amp; Corporate Secretary</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwn
er><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-01</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>23.5</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>45377</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>20
03-08-01</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>30.9</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>43377</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>23.5</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><v
alue>2003-08-01</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F3" /></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2002-12-15</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-11-19</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10000</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>8000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrI
ndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The sale transaction was pursuant to Ms. Ibele's 10b5-1 trading plan.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Options for the purchase of 25,000 shares of common stock at $23.50 per share were granted to Ms. Ibele on November 19, 1998, which grant has previously been reported.  The partial exercise of these options for the purchase of 15,000 shares has previously been reported.  Of the remaining options, options for the purchase of 5,000 shares vested on December 15, 2002 and options for the purchase of 5,000 shares will vest on December 15, 2003.</footnote><footnote id="F3">The options were granted under the Health Care REIT, Inc. 1995 Stock Incentive Plan and had no acquisition price.</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>Erin C. Ibele</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-01</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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