My thoughts are no they can't, they just project a level line. Does anyone know if there is a model that can measure distance to the receiver thingy?
For surveying digital levels the answer is yes.
Topcon DL-500 Series look at the specifications tab and the Distance Measurement entries.
Leica Sprinter 50 Technical Data "Distance accuracies" information.
There are others with similar capabilities.
However, I doubt that rotating Laser levels have any distance measuring capability.
Topcon RL-SV2S specifications do not address distance measurement.
All of the above use lasers although most people in construction think of laser levels in terms of rotating levels.
Not quite what you are looking for, but the Rod man can use a Disto to measure back to the level...
The Sokkia SDL levels can measures distances. We use this result for getting the accuracy of the closures.