EAST HARTFORD — Blaming the failure to win universal health care in 1993 on a failure to listen to taxpayers, state officials led by U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., are touring the state to hear what people have to say.

Around 700 people came Friday to Goodwin College’s Riverside Campus hoping to get the inside story on a universal health care proposal from Dodd, one of the most senior members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

He was recently asked by committee chairman U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., to serve as his chief deputy for health reform.

Dodd was joined by U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-1st District, to talk about his “Connecticut Prescriptions for Change” initiative, as well as by a panel of health care reform advocates from across the state.

Larson underscored the importance of public discourse, alluding to the failed reform attempts of the Clinton administration, saying, “One of the mistakes that was made 15 years ago was there wasn’t enough emphasis on listening to what you had to say and to make sure that we took from the people that we serve not only their ideas but their stories.”

At the town hall style meeting, Dodd gave broad proposals and his outlook on health care reform in the new administration, saying, “The president has pointed out that he wants this issue high on the agenda­. I know many have questions — when will this come up? My hope is very, very soon. My fervent hope is this issue will be up this spring.”

Even with a full slate of issues facing Congress and the new administration, Dodd told the crowd national health care reform remains “one of the most pressing issues facing our nation. There is no bigger problem than skyrocketing health care costs, which impact all of us in one way or another.”

The meeting is part of a listening tour Dodd is conducting to hear Connecticut citizen’s stories and views on health care.

“With this tour, Connecticut families will have an opportunity to be an integral part of the process, to make yourselves heard and help shape one of the important debates in our lifetime,” Dodd told the assembled people.

The expert panel included Universal Health Care President Juan Figueroa and David R. Fusco, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Connecticut.

Lauren Reinmann, a Wallingford high school senior going for the Girl Scout Gold Award, also spoke. Her goal is to set up a free health care clinic where physicians treat patients who are underinsured or uninsured. After hearing Reinmann speak, an impressed Dodd commented, “I think we just listened to the future Secretary of Health and Human Services.”