Ownership Submission
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 *
LEWIS RAYMOND J
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
VENTAS INC [VTR] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
President
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
353 N. CLARK STREET, SUITE 3300		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
05/02/2013
(Street)

CHICAGO,, IL 60654		 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 05/02/2013   M   61,245 A $ 53.5 231,879 D  
Common Stock 05/02/2013   S(1)   61,245 D $ 80.1967 170,634 D  

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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
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 53.5 05/02/2013   M     51,037 01/20/2011(2) 01/20/2021 Common Stock 51,037 $ 0 157,512 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 53.5 05/02/2013   M     10,208 03/16/2011(3) 01/20/2021 Common Stock 10,208 $ 0 147,304 (4) D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
LEWIS RAYMOND J
353 N. CLARK STREET, SUITE 3300
CHICAGO,, IL 60654		       President  

Signatures

 Raymond J. Lewis, By: T. Richard Riney, Attorney-In-Fact   05/06/2013
**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) On May 2, 2013, the Reporting Person transmitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") a Form 144 covering the sale of the Issuer's common stock reported in Table I. The price reported in column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold by the Reporting Person in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $80.145 to $80.31, inclusive. The Reporting Person undertakes to provide Issuer, any security holder of Issuer or the staff of the SEC, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the range set forth in this footnote (1).
(2) These options were part of a previously reported grant of 51,037 on January 20, 2011 by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vested in three equal annual installments beginning on January 20, 2011.
(3) These options were part of a previously reported grant of 10,208 on March 16, 2011 by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vested in three equal installments on March 16, 2011, January 20, 2012 and January 20, 2013.
(4) Represents total number of unexercised stock options held by the Reporting Person as of May 2, 2013.

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