So looking at this a little more...

This is what the kernel says (according to syslog) when I plug in the following: USB Hard Drive, USB Key, MMC Card

USB HDD:
Mar 13 18:22:08 klaatu kernel: [718497.956677] usb 2-1.2.3: USB disconnect, device number 30
Mar 13 18:22:15 klaatu kernel: [718505.541473] usb 1-1.1: new high speed USB device number 17 using ehci_hcd
Mar 13 18:22:16 klaatu kernel: [718505.656946] scsi23 : usb-storage 1-1.1:1.0
Mar 13 18:22:16 klaatu mtp-probe: checking bus 1, device 17: "/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.1"
Mar 13 18:22:16 klaatu mtp-probe: bus: 1, device: 17 was not an MTP device
Mar 13 18:22:18 klaatu kernel: [718508.200409] scsi 23:0:0:0: Direct-Access     Toshiba  External USB HDD      PQ: 0 ANSI: 4
Mar 13 18:22:18 klaatu kernel: [718508.254801] sd 23:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg2 type 0
Mar 13 18:22:18 klaatu kernel: [718508.256063] sd 23:0:0:0: [sde] 976773168 512-byte logical blocks: (500 GB/465 GiB)
Mar 13 18:22:18 klaatu kernel: [718508.262592] sd 23:0:0:0: [sde] Write Protect is off
Mar 13 18:22:18 klaatu kernel: [718508.262601] sd 23:0:0:0: [sde] Mode Sense: 38 00 00 00
Mar 13 18:22:18 klaatu kernel: [718508.269110] sd 23:0:0:0: [sde] No Caching mode page present
Mar 13 18:22:18 klaatu kernel: [718508.269118] sd 23:0:0:0: [sde] Assuming drive cache: write through
Mar 13 18:22:18 klaatu kernel: [718508.284056] sd 23:0:0:0: [sde] No Caching mode page present
Mar 13 18:22:18 klaatu kernel: [718508.284064] sd 23:0:0:0: [sde] Assuming drive cache: write through
Mar 13 18:22:18 klaatu kernel: [718508.309457]  sde: sde1
Mar 13 18:22:18 klaatu kernel: [718508.324283] sd 23:0:0:0: [sde] No Caching mode page present
Mar 13 18:22:18 klaatu kernel: [718508.324291] sd 23:0:0:0: [sde] Assuming drive cache: write through
Mar 13 18:22:18 klaatu kernel: [718508.324297] sd 23:0:0:0: [sde] Attached SCSI disk
Mar 13 18:22:18 klaatu ata_id[15241]: HDIO_GET_IDENTITY failed for '/dev/sde': Invalid argument
Mar 13 18:22:20 klaatu ntfs-3g[15258]: Version 2011.4.12AR.4 external FUSE 28
Mar 13 18:22:20 klaatu ntfs-3g[15258]: Mounted /dev/sde1 (Read-Write, label "PortoJohn", NTFS 3.1)
Mar 13 18:22:20 klaatu ntfs-3g[15258]: Cmdline options: rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks,uid=1000,gid=1000,dmask=0077,fmask=0177
Mar 13 18:22:20 klaatu ntfs-3g[15258]: Mount options: rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks,allow_other,nonempty,relatime,fsname=/dev/sde1,blkdev,blksize=4096,default_permissions
Mar 13 18:22:20 klaatu ntfs-3g[15258]: Global ownership and permissions enforced, configuration type 7

USB KEY:

Mar 13 18:23:17 klaatu kernel: [718566.920318] usb 1-1.1: new high speed USB device number 18 using ehci_hcd
Mar 13 18:23:17 klaatu mtp-probe: checking bus 1, device 18: "/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.1"
Mar 13 18:23:17 klaatu kernel: [718567.016039] scsi24 : usb-storage 1-1.1:1.0
Mar 13 18:23:17 klaatu mtp-probe: bus: 1, device: 18 was not an MTP device
Mar 13 18:23:18 klaatu kernel: [718568.017026] scsi 24:0:0:0: Direct-Access     Kingston DataTraveler 2.0 PMAP PQ: 0 ANSI: 0 CCS
Mar 13 18:23:18 klaatu kernel: [718568.167427] sd 24:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg2 type 0
Mar 13 18:23:20 klaatu kernel: [718570.378344] sd 24:0:0:0: [sde] 7936000 512-byte logical blocks: (4.06 GB/3.78 GiB)
Mar 13 18:23:20 klaatu kernel: [718570.379132] sd 24:0:0:0: [sde] Write Protect is off
Mar 13 18:23:20 klaatu kernel: [718570.379139] sd 24:0:0:0: [sde] Mode Sense: 23 00 00 00
Mar 13 18:23:20 klaatu kernel: [718570.380003] sd 24:0:0:0: [sde] No Caching mode page present
Mar 13 18:23:20 klaatu kernel: [718570.380010] sd 24:0:0:0: [sde] Assuming drive cache: write through
Mar 13 18:23:20 klaatu kernel: [718570.383030] sd 24:0:0:0: [sde] No Caching mode page present
Mar 13 18:23:20 klaatu kernel: [718570.383037] sd 24:0:0:0: [sde] Assuming drive cache: write through
Mar 13 18:23:20 klaatu kernel: [718570.429488]  sde: sde1
Mar 13 18:23:20 klaatu kernel: [718570.433130] sd 24:0:0:0: [sde] No Caching mode page present
Mar 13 18:23:20 klaatu kernel: [718570.433137] sd 24:0:0:0: [sde] Assuming drive cache: write through
Mar 13 18:23:20 klaatu kernel: [718570.433142] sd 24:0:0:0: [sde] Attached SCSI removable disk

MMC Card:
Mar 13 18:24:23 klaatu kernel: [718633.202679] mmc0: new SDHC card at address 1234
Mar 13 18:24:23 klaatu kernel: [718633.203054] mmcblk0: mmc0:1234 SA04G 3.68 GiB 
Mar 13 18:24:23 klaatu kernel: [718633.205188]  mmcblk0: p1

This is on my Alienware where the card reader behaves properly and isn't part of the USB bus.

Now this is the same HDD, Key and SDHC card on my Lenovo that does have the bad card reader:

USB HDD:
Mar 13 18:27:35 GarbageScow kernel: [67946.821383] usb 2-1.2: new high-speed USB device number 4 using ehci_hcd
Mar 13 18:27:35 GarbageScow kernel: [67946.936219] scsi7 : usb-storage 2-1.2:1.0
Mar 13 18:27:35 GarbageScow mtp-probe: checking bus 2, device 4: "/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1/2-1.2"
Mar 13 18:27:35 GarbageScow mtp-probe: bus: 2, device: 4 was not an MTP device
Mar 13 18:27:38 GarbageScow kernel: [67949.627258] scsi 7:0:0:0: Direct-Access     Toshiba  External USB HDD      PQ: 0 ANSI: 4
Mar 13 18:27:38 GarbageScow kernel: [67949.628821] sd 7:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 0
Mar 13 18:27:38 GarbageScow kernel: [67949.630999] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] 976773168 512-byte logical blocks: (500 GB/465 GiB)
Mar 13 18:27:38 GarbageScow kernel: [67949.638591] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] Write Protect is off
Mar 13 18:27:38 GarbageScow kernel: [67949.638597] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] Mode Sense: 38 00 00 00
Mar 13 18:27:38 GarbageScow kernel: [67949.644944] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] No Caching mode page present
Mar 13 18:27:38 GarbageScow kernel: [67949.644951] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through
Mar 13 18:27:38 GarbageScow kernel: [67949.659370] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] No Caching mode page present
Mar 13 18:27:38 GarbageScow kernel: [67949.659375] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through
Mar 13 18:27:38 GarbageScow kernel: [67949.692052]  sdb: sdb1
Mar 13 18:27:38 GarbageScow kernel: [67949.706680] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] No Caching mode page present
Mar 13 18:27:38 GarbageScow kernel: [67949.706686] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through
Mar 13 18:27:38 GarbageScow kernel: [67949.706690] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] Attached SCSI disk
Mar 13 18:27:38 GarbageScow ata_id[616]: HDIO_GET_IDENTITY failed for '/dev/sdb': Invalid argument
Mar 13 18:27:39 GarbageScow ntfs-3g[646]: Version 2012.1.15AR.1 external FUSE 28
Mar 13 18:27:39 GarbageScow ntfs-3g[646]: Mounted /dev/sdb1 (Read-Write, label "PortoJohn", NTFS 3.1)
Mar 13 18:27:39 GarbageScow ntfs-3g[646]: Cmdline options: rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks,uid=1000,gid=1000,dmask=0077,fmask=0177
Mar 13 18:27:39 GarbageScow ntfs-3g[646]: Mount options: rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks,allow_other,nonempty,relatime,default_permissions,fsname=/dev/sdb1,blkdev,blksize=4096
Mar 13 18:27:39 GarbageScow ntfs-3g[646]: Global ownership and permissions enforced, configuration type 7

USB Key:
Mar 13 18:28:24 GarbageScow kernel: [67996.094789] usb 2-1.2: new high-speed USB device number 5 using ehci_hcd
Mar 13 18:28:24 GarbageScow kernel: [67996.190249] scsi8 : usb-storage 2-1.2:1.0
Mar 13 18:28:24 GarbageScow mtp-probe: checking bus 2, device 5: "/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1/2-1.2"
Mar 13 18:28:24 GarbageScow mtp-probe: bus: 2, device: 5 was not an MTP device
Mar 13 18:28:25 GarbageScow kernel: [67997.187748] scsi 8:0:0:0: Direct-Access     Kingston DataTraveler 2.0 PMAP PQ: 0 ANSI: 0 CCS
Mar 13 18:28:25 GarbageScow kernel: [67997.188919] sd 8:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 0
Mar 13 18:28:26 GarbageScow kernel: [67998.322480] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdb] 7936000 512-byte logical blocks: (4.06 GB/3.78 GiB)
Mar 13 18:28:26 GarbageScow kernel: [67998.323046] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdb] Write Protect is off
Mar 13 18:28:26 GarbageScow kernel: [67998.323052] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdb] Mode Sense: 23 00 00 00
Mar 13 18:28:26 GarbageScow kernel: [67998.323646] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdb] No Caching mode page present
Mar 13 18:28:26 GarbageScow kernel: [67998.323652] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through
Mar 13 18:28:26 GarbageScow kernel: [67998.326271] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdb] No Caching mode page present
Mar 13 18:28:26 GarbageScow kernel: [67998.326277] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through
Mar 13 18:28:26 GarbageScow kernel: [67998.372812]  sdb: sdb1
Mar 13 18:28:26 GarbageScow kernel: [67998.375106] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdb] No Caching mode page present
Mar 13 18:28:26 GarbageScow kernel: [67998.375112] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through
Mar 13 18:28:26 GarbageScow kernel: [67998.375115] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdb] Attached SCSI removable disk

SDHC Card:
Mar 13 18:28:55 GarbageScow kernel: [68027.301175] usb 2-1.1: new high-speed USB device number 6 using ehci_hcd
Mar 13 18:28:56 GarbageScow mtp-probe: checking bus 2, device 6: "/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1/2-1.1"
Mar 13 18:28:56 GarbageScow mtp-probe: bus: 2, device: 6 was not an MTP device
Mar 13 18:28:56 GarbageScow kernel: [68027.420285] scsi9 : usb-storage 2-1.1:1.0
Mar 13 18:28:57 GarbageScow kernel: [68028.419532] scsi 9:0:0:0: Direct-Access     Generic- Multi-Card       1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0 CCS
Mar 13 18:28:57 GarbageScow kernel: [68028.421297] sd 9:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 0
Mar 13 18:28:57 GarbageScow kernel: [68029.343960] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdb] 7729152 512-byte logical blocks: (3.95 GB/3.68 GiB)
Mar 13 18:28:57 GarbageScow kernel: [68029.344817] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdb] Write Protect is off
Mar 13 18:28:57 GarbageScow kernel: [68029.344823] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdb] Mode Sense: 03 00 00 00
Mar 13 18:28:57 GarbageScow kernel: [68029.345666] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdb] No Caching mode page present
Mar 13 18:28:57 GarbageScow kernel: [68029.345673] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through
Mar 13 18:28:57 GarbageScow kernel: [68029.349036] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdb] No Caching mode page present
Mar 13 18:28:57 GarbageScow kernel: [68029.349042] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through
Mar 13 18:28:57 GarbageScow kernel: [68029.350938]  sdb: sdb1
Mar 13 18:28:57 GarbageScow kernel: [68029.353640] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdb] No Caching mode page present
Mar 13 18:28:57 GarbageScow kernel: [68029.353648] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through
Mar 13 18:28:57 GarbageScow kernel: [68029.353655] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdb] Attached SCSI removable disk
Mar 13 18:28:58 GarbageScow kernel: [68029.704065] FAT-fs (sdb1): Invalid FSINFO signature: 0x00000000, 0x00000000 (sector = 1)

So on the Lenovo, in reality, the kernel sees no difference at all between a SDHC card and a USB Key... both are treated the same way, handled by the same drivers.  The only indication that the SD card is possiblye not a USB key is in the line that says "Direct-Access     Generic- Multi-Card" but as noted in a previous comment, Generic-Multi-Card is derived from OEM filled data fields and thus is unreliable.