Under the florescent lights of the International Center, she sits at a compact table working on a Sudoku puzzle. Her fur-trimmed coat hangs off the back of a flimsy plastic chair.
She blends into the haze of passing MSU students. On the surface, she appears no different.
But Yashida Blocker is missing something most people take for granted.
Peace of mind.
Blocker has been diagnosed with chronic strep throat, an illness her doctor said can be cured with a tonsillectomy.
The problem is she can no longer afford the surgery.
Blocker lost her health insurance earlier this month, becoming one of 647 MSU students affected by cuts to a state-funded health care plan.
By mid-August, remaining funds for the Student Health Subsidy Program, or SHSP, will be completely used. Students whose normal coverage period ends before then won't be able to re-enroll.
Blocker, 22, is one of those students. She has joined some 45.8 million uninsured Americans, deprived of something that many consider a basic human right.
"If something serious happens to us," the human resource management senior said, "how are we supposed to pay for the bill?
"What were they thinking about when they came up with this? Did they not think about the people this benefits?"
The SHSP is a plan for low-income students who lack health insurance, said Kathi Braunlich, communications and planning coordinator for Olin Health Center.
"It's been helpful because it's available for students who are not otherwise insured," she said. "SHSP helps with the basics."
Since its inception in 2001, the program has given students a chance at quality health care.
Blocker grew up in Chicago's West Side, raised by a single mother who works at a hospital as a dietary assistant.
Her mother's career showcases some irony in the national health care crisis. She spends 40 hours a week in the confines of a major medical center but can't afford the price of its services.
Like her daughter, she too is uninsured.
When she was younger, Blocker was insured by KidCare, a state-funded children's health plan. She visited a free county hospital for serious medical problems that weren't covered.
After she turned 19, Blocker became too old for the plan. She refused to let her mom give up part of her salary to pay for coverage.
"It's either less pay, which isn't that much to begin with, or no health insurance," Blocker said. "The amount they would take from her check, she really does need. I told her, 'Don't worry about it. I'll be OK.'"
Roughly 1.1 million people are uninsured throughout the state, said T.J. Bucholz, communications director for the Michigan Department of Community Health.
"There are several reasons why the numbers are so high," he said. "The economy is certainly struggling. There are fewer people getting insurance from their employers."
The troubled economic climate has caused many to turn to social programs.
Medicaid enrollment in Michigan has risen by a half million people in the last six years, and the SHSP covered more than 1,000 MSU students in 2005.
To become eligible for the SHSP, registered students had to be uninsured and have an annual household income of less than $25,000, said Pamela Beemer, assistant vice president of human resources at MSU.
The program covered basic health care, such as office visits to Olin and a limited range of other services like X-rays, prescriptions and screenings, Beemer said.
In other cases, she added, SHSP aided enrollees by paying a certain amount toward health expenses.
Blocker joined the SHSP when her health took a turn for the worst. In fall 2005, she contracted mono and sought treatment at Olin about 10 times.
Had the plan not been available, Blocker would have returned to the free county hospital in Chicago for treatment and worried about paying for prescriptions later.
One year later, Blocker's health once again compromised her ability to be a functioning student. Twice last semester, she was infected with strep throat, an illness her doctor at Olin told her will continue to plague her system.
"If you are sick, you can't go to class," Blocker said. "If I need instant access to medication or a checkup, I have to go to Sparrow (Hospital), and it's too expensive."
Although the SHSP does not fully cover major operations, it pays for a portion of expense. Without the plan, Blocker cannot afford to have her tonsils removed.
In order to fund the program, MSU matched dollars donated from various government sources. In total, the SHSP required roughly $1.6 million in 2001, Beemer said in an e-mail. She did not provide more recent figures.
The state cut its funds earlier this month, and MSU chose not to renew the program.
"The dissolution of the SHSP program does not mean that students who are currently enrolled in SHSP will have to go without access to health care," Beemer said in an e-mail.
"MSU has identified alternative options enrollees may wish to explore for health care assistance after SHSP ends."
One option is the Ingham Health Plan, a similar need-based plan for county residents. Olin is not in its coverage network, but MSU is currently working to get visits there included.
Students also can enroll in the MSU Student Health Insurance Base Plan, which provides coverage for $1,346 a year.
Blocker can't afford that.
She has looked at her options and understands the consequences. Still, she has chosen to take the gamble and go uninsured until she graduates in May.
She wishes it didn't have to be that way. For now, she can only hope for a better life after MSU.
For a career with benefits.
For peace of mind.
Staff writer Alex Altman contributed to this report.
