Exhibit 99.1


                            [Health Care REIT Logo]


F O R    I M M E D I A T E    R E L E A S E

                                                 June 9, 2003
                                                 For more information contact:
                                                 Ray Braun - (419) 247-2800
                                                 Mike Crabtree - (419) 247-2800


                        HEALTH CARE REIT, INC. ANNOUNCES
             SERIES D PREFERRED STOCK OFFERING AND INTENT TO REDEEM
                          ITS SERIES B PREFERRED STOCK

Toledo, Ohio, June 9, 2003........HEALTH CARE REIT, INC. (NYSE/HCN) announced
today its intent to issue additional preferred shares under a newly designated
Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock. The Company also announced that
it intends to use the net proceeds of the sale to redeem all 3,000,000 shares of
its 8.875% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (NYSE: HCN PrB, CUSIP:
42217K 205) at a redemption price of $25.00 per share plus accrued and unpaid
dividends, as of the redemption date.

Health Care REIT, Inc., with headquarters in Toledo, Ohio, is a real estate
investment trust that invests in health care facilities, primarily skilled
nursing and assisted living facilities. At March 31, 2003, we had investments in
248 health care facilities in 33 states with 46 operators and had total assets
of approximately $1.6 billion. For more information on Health Care REIT, Inc.,
via facsimile at no cost, dial 1-800-PRO-INFO and enter the company code - HCN.
More information is available on the Internet at www.hcreit.com.

This document may contain "forward-looking" statements as defined in the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements
concern the possible expansion of our portfolio; the performance of our
operators and properties; our ability to enter into agreements with new viable
tenants for properties which we take back from financially troubled tenants, if
any; our ability to make distributions; our policies and plans regarding
investments, financings and other matters; our tax status as a real estate
investment trust; our ability to appropriately balance the use of debt and
equity; and our ability to access capital markets or other sources of funds.
When we use words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," or similar
expressions, we are making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and
uncertainties. Our expected results may not be achieved, and actual results may
differ materially from our expectations. This may be a result of various
factors, including, but not limited to: the status of the economy; the status of
capital markets, including prevailing interest rates; compliance with and
changes to regulations and payment policies within the health care industry;
changes in financing terms; competition within the health care and senior
housing industries; and changes in federal, state and local legislation.
Finally, we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those
projected in any forward-looking statements.

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