40 Under 40 - 2024

Community is the driving force behind Josh Repac’s work at Meritus Health as its chief financial officer.

Repac worked as a healthcare consultant for 10 years before seeking a more hospital-focused role closer to patients. He joined Meritus about five years ago, initially as executive director of revenue cycle and reimbursement.

Repac sees Meritus as an anchor organization for residents in rural areas across Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. His job is to make sure Meritus is prepared to serve more than 200,000 residents and about 3,200 employees as an economic engine for the region.

“From the consulting perspective, you’re always on the outside looking in. You’re making suggestions, you’re giving a road map, and then you leave,” Repac said. “I really wanted to get that perspective of, how does this translate into impacting people and impacting a whole community?”

Since joining Meritus, Repac has helped lead community-building projects, including efforts to open the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine in Hagerstown, Maryland, in July 2025, and to build 340 units for student housing on its campus. The school, which Repac said he hopes will help solve the area’s physician shortage, particularly in primary care, would have 180 students per graduating class at full capacity.

Repac is a board member for Horizon Goodwill, as well, and spearheaded a partnership to open a primary care clinic last year to reach vulnerable underserved patients in downtown Hagerstown. 

He also takes time to do patient rounds on a weekly basis.

—Caroline Hudson