Can an ambulance company charge twice on the same day for two rides to the ER?

[Guest guest]

An acquaintance had this experience: He was appropriately transported from home

to his local ER for post-op hemeturia, discharged home from the ER with an

inappropriate diagnosis, then retransported to the same ER for the same

hematuria hours later, then admitted (appropriately) for further work-up. He

received two separate $1200 charges for same day transportation and is appealing

due to improper discharge from the ER.

But here's my question: If MD's see the patient more than once on the same day

for the same condition, the " correct coding initiative " does not allow us to

make two separate charges; we need to make one billable charge for services on

the same day, with upcoding based upon H & P, medical complexity, decision making,

and on occasion time. So do the same constraints on ambulance charges for

multiple trips on the same day for the same problem on the same patient not

apply?

Is there a rational basis on which my aquaintance (not myself) can appeal?

Thanks for your input.

Marc T in Atlanta